Sal Embry becomes Monterey Ridge’s principal

By Elizabeth Marie Himchak

A mentoring opportunity as a college baseball player with Little League kids is what Monterey Ridge Elementary’s new principal said inspired him to pursue a career in education.

“I enjoyed working with kids at the elementary age,” said Sal Embry. “ (Teaching) seemed like a fit.”

That decision led the then-Palomar College student to transfer to Point Loma Nazarene University, where Embry earned a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies.

“It has an excellent education program,” Embry said about his alma mater. Five years later he earned his master’s degree in educational administration at National University.

Embry said he decided to switch from being a teacher to an administrator within three years of entering the profession, though it took a few more years for that dream to become a reality.

“My first principal, Steve Hodge, he was such a good person to work for and with the teachers, kids and community,” Embry said. “He was inspiring and looked like he had fun and loved what he did.”

After starting his career in 1988 at Sunset Hills Elementary as a second-grade teacher, Embry taught various grades on Poway Unified campuses before taking on his first administrative post, as an assistant principal at Meadowbrook Middle School in 1997. A year later, he became Midland Elementary’s principal and in 2003 transferred to Sundance Elementary. In 2008, he became Painted Rock Elementary’s principal, where he remained until last spring.

Since 2006, he has also been the district’s transitional kindergarten coordinator and for the past 11 years on the University of Phoenix’s College of Education faculty.

“I really like interacting with people … and being in the classroom meeting the kids and seeing what they are working on,” Embry said.

The biggest challenge of his job is advocating for three groups — the district and its initiatives, teachers and their needs plus the parents and students in his schools. “It’s really a fine line to walk, representing all their interests, (and) keeping them happy and motivated while moving forward,” Embry said.

“I want to come in to learn the culture and see the ways things are done at the school (before making any changes),” he said about his imminent plans.

However, because Monterey Ridge has so many electronic devices — between its computer lab, three laptop carts with about 35 MacBook Air computers each, and five iPad carts with several devices — Embry said he would like to have the faculty get additional training so they can “implement the devices and get them in the hands of kids for innovative learning.”

While he wants to increase the learning opportunities using the school’s technology, Embry said putting students in front of a computer or other device all day, every day is not the answer either. Instead, it is a mixture of using technology and traditional materials — like pads of paper so students can “scratch out their notes in real world applications. There is a balance we must strike with the kids.”

He said “really amazing, good teachers” are captivating to students, capable of getting them interested in lessons regardless of the format being implemented.

As for the controversial Common Core standards, Embry said this is the second year for math to be implemented and teachers are in the awareness phase for reading, which means getting the literature in front of teachers and aware of the standards, though not necessarily implementing them in reading lessons.

“Parents’ biggest concern is that we’re dumbing down the curriculum, which does not seem to be the case,” Embry said. “There are so many high achieving kids at this school and our teachers will never say we’re not taking them farther (than the standards).”

Embry said he has really enjoyed having his entire career in the Poway Unified School District, and Monterey Ridge students and parents will likely see him running on 4S Ranch streets after school since he is an avid runner.

The Rancho Bernardo resident said he and his wife, Christy — a teacher at Garden Road Elementary — will soon be empty nesters since their youngest, 18-year-old Haley, is getting ready to move into a dorm at California State University San Marcos, where she will be a freshman this fall. Their other daughter, 21-year-old Riley, is a senior at California State University Long Beach.

In addition to running, Embry said he really likes fishing and spending summers camping in the mountains.

“I’m really excited to be at Monterey Ridge … really excited to come to a school with such a great reputation and energy,” he said. “It’s been great getting to know the staff and the PTA and foundation members are very enthusiastic with great ideas.”