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Friday's Internet Edition, November 21, 2008.
Deis selected as first principal of Galt’s Liberty Ranch High School
Current GHS administrator looking forward to creating campus culture
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Currently an assistant principal at Galt High School, Brian Deis has been selected to serve as the principal for Galt’s new Liberty Ranch High School.
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By Rachael Ackerman
Herald Editor
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The Galt Joint Union High School District announced late Tuesday afternoon that the board has selected a principal for Galt’s new Liberty Ranch High School.
The choice comes from close to home in the form of a recognizable face seen at GHS for the past 10 years. Currently an assistant principal at Galt High School, Brian Deis has been selected to serve as the first principal for Galt’s second comprehensive high school.
While the GJUHSD Board will not officially vote to confirm Deis’s position until their regular meeting in June, district superintendent Tom Gemma reported on Tuesday that the board had given him direction to offer Deis the position and that Deis has accepted the offer.
“There were 31 applications from within the district and outside the district as far away as San Diego,” said Gemma. “Brian was selected over the other applicants for his clear vision and willingness to work with the community to open the new Liberty Ranch High School.”
For Deis, it is the next logical step on a career path he chose more than 15 years ago, but for the high school students of Galt and their families, it is the first step in bringing life to the long-sought-after second high school for Galt’s kids, a fact that both excites Deis and makes him a bit nervous.
“I am nervous and excited at the same time about this new position and all of the new challenges,” said Deis on Tuesday afternoon. “I am looking forward to working with the community to develop the structure of the school so they know this new high school they are building with their tax money is theirs.”
Deis began his career in teaching after a five-year hiatus from college left him with the desire to figure out what he wanted to do with his life.
“I have always liked working with kids, and I have always enjoyed history,” said Deis. “So, I combined the two of them and became a history teacher.”
Deis received his teaching credential from California State University, Sacramento in 1993, after earning his Bachelor of Arts degree in history from CSUS in 1992. He is currently working on his master’s degree in educational administration, also at CSUS.
He started out teaching as a substitute teacher in the Roseville/Folsom area, and from there moved on to being a GHS summer school teacher for three years. He was hired at Galt High School as a history teacher in 1995, serving as a teacher and then department chair for seven years, and as the beginning teacher support and assessment coordinator for seven years as well. In 2004, Deis was selected to serve as an assistant principal at Galt High School, and will now take over leadership of Liberty Ranch for the district.
Although Deis lives in Sacramento, he said can easily see himself retiring from the Galt High School district.
“I drive through two other school districts to get here. I enjoy coming to Galt to work. I can see myself retiring from this district,” said Deis. “I enjoy the smaller school district where change can happen very quickly and where you can have a major impact on that change.”
Realizing his career goals is an exciting time for Deis, that could only be made more exciting by the fact that he will be the lead administrator in opening a brand new school.
“There are the buildings and the facilities to get in order and up and going,” said Deis. “But what I am really excited about is developing a campus culture from scratch that will be connected to the rigor, relevance and relationships we are developing at GHS.”
The salary range for the new principal position at Liberty Ranch ranges from $113,000 to $125,000.
Once approved by the board in June, Deis will officially begin his duties as Liberty Ranch principal.
“I am confident that Mr. Deis is the right fit for our new high school,” said Gemma. “I welcome his leadership and expect he will rise to the challenge of getting the school up and running.”
Ready to get started, Deis is contemplating his future, but not without looking back to say thanks first.
“I want to say thank you to everyone who has been involved in my career,” said Deis, “for the support of the teachers and classified staff, as well as the administrative team, without whose support I wouldn’t be where I am accepting the principal position at Liberty Ranch High School. I plan on showing the board they made the right selection.”
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