On August 3, Patricia Pérez officially assumed the role of Assistant Principal (AP) of Student Activities at Bonita Vista High (BVH). Due to Christopher Alvarez’s relocation to Castle Park Middle, up until recently, the position has been vacant since the start of the 2022-2023 school year.

Before Pérez’s arrival, Associated Student Body (ASB) President and senior Jalieah Ruiz discusses her feelings about the change in leadership. Ruiz shares what she hopes the new AP can bring about.

“It’s cool to meet someone new, to see how they run things. But it’s also nerve wracking because it’s someone completely different. It’s another adjusting period. I’m hopeful that we still have creative freedom,” Ruiz said.

After Alvarez’s announcement of leaving BVH in June of the 2021-2022 school year, the Sweetwater Union High School District (SUHSD) began looking to fill the vacancy. SUHSD Superintendent, Moisés Aguirre reached out to Pérez on July 22. Aguirre asked Pérez if she would be willing to consider returning to SUHSD after she had been on leave for a year due to health related reasons. Pérez gladly accepted the role of AP of Student Activities.

“I love being AP of Student Activities. This is now my eighth year in the position,” Pérez said. “I know the position well, so I’m very comfortable with it. I know the demands and uniqueness of the job, and so I’m excited.”

This year will be Pérez’s 19th year working for SUHSD. Prior to her one year leave, she was working at Southwest High as the AP of Student Activities. Pérez has already been acquainted with the staff and administration at BVH. She’s worked alongside them at other schools in the district. 

“I knew I was coming into a school that had a strong leadership team,” Pérez said. “I know teachers who are here love kids, put kids first and that’s a priority to me to be somewhere where I know we all have that same vision. We love working with students and our heart is in the positions that we lead.”

It was important for Pérez to get to know the students, specifically those in ASB. On her first day, before classes had even begun, Pérez was introducing herself to the ASB students, showing off her school spirit and support.

“[Pérez] wanted to know who we really are, our interests, our hobbies, what commission we’re in, our grades. She took time out of her day to sit us all down and have a meeting with us,” Technology commissioner and senior Luna Beaulieu said. 

Similar to Beaulieu, technology commissioner and senior Giovan Espinoza values the effort Pérez makes to connect with the students.  

“I felt very appreciated. That’s something new because when you’re in a big team like ASB, they don’t really spend that much time collecting who an individual person is, writing down notes and spending a lot of time with them,” Espinoza said.

Not only was Pérez interacting with ASB students, she has been interacting with ASB events. ASB students were surprised to find Pérez participating in spirit week on her very first day. Assistant to ASB Christina Ada, who had stepped in as temporary help when Alvarez left, had given Pérez the flier listing the themes. Though it disappointed her that she was unable to participate on swim gear Monday and tacky tourist Tuesday, she was determined to take part in Wednesday’s spirit day. Pérez spent the days prior preparing her ‘Little Miss loves ASB’ shirt.

“I love that it was [Little Miss/Mr/Mx] spirit day because I would stop students and ask them about their shirts,” Pérez said. “It taught me a little bit about them and it was a nice way on the first day to walk around and learn about their personalities.”

Pérez hopes to connect with more students at BVH throughout this school year. And although she has many goals, her main priority is to focus on the environment she creates for the students on campus. 

“I’m excited to keep meeting new students and building those positive relationships. [Staff and administration] are really here for our students. We really want to mentor and support the [students] so that they can focus on being the best version of themselves,” Pérez said. “[Students should] focus on their academics, social and mental well being so that when we send them off to college and into the workforce, they really feel that they received all the support needed to be successful.”