As the school year comes to a close, these last weeks mark the end of Mr. O’Meara’s first full year as principal. Back in August, The NewsBreaker had the chance to sit down with Mr. O’Meara during his first few weeks on campus. Now, we’ve caught up with him once more to reflect on the goals he set and how the year has unfolded.
At the start of the year, Mr. O’Meara shared his desire to strengthen “community, collaboration, and connectedness.” Looking back, he says he’s especially proud of the progress made through groups like the Principal’s Advisory Committee (PAC) and the Parent Community Forum (PCF). While data from state tests like CAASPP is not yet available, Mr. O’Meara is confident that PGHS is continuing an upward academic trend, shown by increased AP enrollment and test participation. Additionally, results from the California Healthy Kids Survey indicate that PGHS students feel more safe and connected than in previous years.
After a full year at PGHS, Mr. O’Meara recognizes the many student organizations, clubs, and teams as a vital part of student culture. He noted that many of these groups have a strong sense of pride and identity associated with them, especially among the arts and sports teams. Even so, the number of close-knit groups leaves room for a unified school identity. Mr. O’Meara shared that he’d like to see more interorganizational connections, with “student organizations supporting other student organizations.”
A perfect example of this connection is VAPA week, which Mr. O’Meara stated was his favorite part of the year. The collaboration across the various arts departments to produce the event brought groups and students together to enjoy a variety of mediums. Looking ahead, Mr. O’Meara also shared that he is interested in potentially adding a multicultural day similar to VAPA week.
In his first interview with The NewsBreaker, Mr. O’Meara asked students: “What does it mean to be a Breaker?” Since then, we’ve received a wide range of answers from “supporting other students” to “putting effort into classes” and even “going to the beach.” In the end, he believes it all comes down to unity. “Being a Breaker,” he says, “means ‘we’ is greater than ‘I.’”
As the year wraps up, Mr. O’Meara would like to express his gratitude towards the students for their respect and welcoming attitude over the course of the year. That same support and spirit will continue to shape PGHS into an even better school in the years to come.
