While AP Computer Science and Digital Electronics teacher Thomas Wang went on a 12-week paternity leave in early February, his position is being filled by long-term substitute teacher Perry Constantine.
According to Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District public information and engagement officer Tanya De La Cruz, the district sought a candidate with relevant knowledge in computer science and engineering due to the long duration of the substitute period. When finding a suitable candidate, the district usually searches for pre-approved substitutes who hold the appropriate credentials. If no one is available internally, the district posts the position on EdJoin, an education job recruitment platform.
“Candidates with full credentials typically have prior teaching experience in that subject. For those working under a permit, we ensure they have relevant subject-matter expertise before assigning them to a course,” De La Cruz said.
Before getting hired as a long-term sub for Wang, Constantine first began working as a substitute for the district, starting in November. Despite only having three months of experience as a substitute teacher, Constantine brings valuable knowledge from his extensive background in engineering.
After graduating from the Illinois Institute of Technology with a degree in electrical engineering, Constantine worked as a design engineer at Bell Labs in New Jersey — a renowned research facility that was the birthplace of significant technological breakthroughs, including the microwave, transistor and fiber optic communications.
One of the highlights of Constantine’s career was his membership in the 12-man team behind LSI Logic, a pioneering company that introduced a new design for chips known as Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs).
Later in his career, Constantine served as the CEO of more than five companies in the Bay Area, including Tactus Technology, Optichron, IPinfusion, Silicon Access Networks and Redwood Microsystems, some of which are no longer around. Constantine is currently a consultant, advising groups in the technology sector.
Despite his success in engineering, Constantine said he had a passion for teaching that he was never able to fulfill with his other undertakings. When a friend who had been a substitute encouraged him to consider it, Constantine tried it and loved the experience.
Recently, Constantine saw an opportunity to serve as a substitute for Wang, and, with encouragement from his wife, decided to apply for the position. Constantine believes that his transition from being a CEO to a teacher will be smooth due to the many similarities between the roles.
“When you run companies and manage big groups of people, it’s like teaching,” Constantine said. “The life of the CEO is basically to bring the best group together, identify the project and then help the group execute a common objective.”
Constantine has been developing a teaching style that combines the structure Wang established for the class with some of his own ideas. He describes himself as a facilitator who guides students through thought processes and also takes advice from the two teaching assistants in his classes.
When Constantine started teaching the class, he was pleasantly surprised by the students’ abilities, recalling that he himself did not have the opportunity to learn computer science and digital electronics until college. He loves that the students are able to grasp advanced concepts in high school and build the fundamentals for constructing high-end technology in companies.
“I sense that some of the people in this group are going to be the high-tech founders and engineers of Silicon Valley in the next 10 years,” Constantine said. “It’s great if I can just kind of look back and say I had a little something to do with that.”
