Debbie Padilla spent eight years leading the high school
Published in the July 8-21, 2015 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Staff Report
Photo by Marty Cheek
In 2013, then Principal Debbie Padilla spoke to graduates during the June ceremony.
On a high note of student academic performance, Sobrato High School’s Deborah Padilla said goodbye to the school after eight years leading it as principal. On July 1, she began a new job with the Gilroy Unified School District as its director of curriculum and instruction for secondary programs.
A resident of Gilroy, Padilla said it was a hard decision to leave Sobrato. Recently, the school earned a 2015 California Gold Ribbon Award for its model Career Technical Education Program and its Equal Opportunity Advisory Program.
“Over the past eight years we have adopted a college and career-going culture in Morgan Hill,” Padilla said. “We have more students academically prepared for the work force with our career pathways and more students are eligible and attending colleges. As a district we adopted the college entrance requirements as the default graduation requirements guaranteeing all students access to options after high school.”
She described her style of leading the high school as “distributive leadership.”
“If one person leads then when that person leaves the system leaves too,” she said. “When the leadership consists of students, staff and parents, then a strong system of support is created that lasts regardless of personnel transitions.”
Recently, Sobrato achieved the distinction of being in the top 1 percent of American high schools to reach equity among its student enrolling in Advanced Placement courses. Google awarded the school $18,965 with its AP Equity and Excellence Award, and the money will be used to promote continued AP success among the students.
In the 2015 school year, 638 Sobrato students, or 60 percent of the school, took at least one Advanced Placement course.
Although Padilla said she has many favorite memories from her time at the school, one that rises to the top is when two-thirds of the students and staff did a “Thriller” dance, based on a Michael Jackson song from the 1980s.
“It was an amazing accomplishment and showed the collaborative spirit and unity of the students and staff,” she said. “Another favorite is a combination. The outpouring of support that our school community has shown for our families, friends and colleagues in need over the past eight years is beyond compare. Instead of tragedy breaking us apart, our community has responded by showing love, compassion and kindness.”
She describes the spirit that pervades the school campus as “the Sobrato Way.”
“It makes me cry to think back on the wonderful support that our community has shown one another and the surrounding community,” she said. “Over my years we have, unfortunately, lost students and staff. However, our community has a bond that may be stretched at times but has never been broken. I will also miss working directly with students. They are my daily reminder of the strength, goodness and spirit of human kind. They are our future and their creative ideas and passion for life re-energize me daily.”
The decision to take the job with GUSD was a difficult one for Padilla. She is now working on a doctoral program in educational leadership with a focus on instruction and curriculum, her passions, she said.
“I believe I have made positive strides at Sobrato by following this passion,” she said. “Now I want to support more students by working with more schools. Gilroy is my home and my children have attended their public schools. My daughter is currently attending Gilroy High School. I will miss my Morgan Hill family, but am grateful to get to support my own child in the Gilroy system. I am hoping that I will also be able to build a strong collaborative relationship between our two districts.”
District Superintendent Steve Betando said Padilla’s leadership has had a “huge impact” on Sobrato and all of Morgan Hill.
“She came in at a time when there was a little bit of rough competition between the two high schools. And I say ‘rough’ because there always should be competition between high schools, especially in sports, positive competition,” he said. “Her strength was building capacity within the school, building a staff that can carry on with the successes and are true to that point. She brought staff together culminating with her success to her legacy.”
As soon as the MHUSD learned of Padilla going to Gilroy, staff immediately opened the position and several candidates have submitted their applications. The district is now in the process of interviewing and plans on hiring a new principal as soon as possible, most likely by the end of July.
The new position will be good for Padilla, Betando said.
“Every administrator should be looking at what they’re building as a legacy but also how to develop their own career,” he said. “She’s going to be very successful in her new position.”
Besides Padilla, Central High School Principal Ann-Marie Cobarrubias left after one year in the position due to family reasons. Assistant Superintendent Norma Martinez-Palmer, who headed up Morgan Hill Unified School District’s Educational Services Department for three years, also left the district. Director of Curriculum and Instruction Arlene Machado retired after nearly 40 years with MHUSD as a teacher and administrator at several schools.
