Robinson explains life of a principal

The clock reads 7:30 p.m. as principal Paul Robinson sits at his desk and smiles. It has been a great day. He has talked to students, observed classes and had a productive meeting at the district office. However, in the life of principal, there is no typical schedule.

According to Robinson, one of the greatest parts about working in education is that “no one day is like the day before it or will ever be like the days after it.”

Robinson is in his second year at Saratoga High and previously had been a principal at Rancho Bernardo High School in San Diego for 10 years. Before becoming the head of a high school, Robinson taught English, primarily American Literature, for 17 years. He has taught at a middle school and two high schools before coming to Saratoga.

“I love teaching,” Robinson said. “Almost all principals were teachers first. I still consider myself a teacher that just happens to work as a principal.”

Typically, Robinson starts his busy day out at around 7:30 a.m., but can stay as late as midnight.

“Usually, when I get here in the morning, I am greeted with happy, smiling, shining faces because everyone is geared up and ready to go,” Robinson said.

Ultimately, Robinson said he oversees anything that occurs on campus, but most of the administrative duties are divided among him and his three assistant principals: Brian Safine, Kevin Mount and Kerry Mohnike.

Officially, Robinson supervises the science and visual and performing arts departments as well as the library. However, Robinson is also responsible for numerous other groups and councils. For example, Robinson is in charge of new teacher orientation, school board meetings that occur at SHS and School Site Council.

Additionally, Robinson sometimes works with students to make sure that everything is in order. For example, Robinson once helped a student recover a paper. The paper was turned in, but then misplaced. The student’s grade was then adjusted accordingly.

Robinson also said he might have the entire day planned to the minute, but an incident happens or a student or teacher comes in with a problem, and everything is dropped so that the situation can be taken care of.

“I’d love to say that my days are very well planned out, but they hardly ever end up that way,” Robinson said.

For Robinson, the most challenging part of his job occurs when he runs into obstacles that are out of his control. Robinson said that in these instances, he always tries to make sure something good comes out of it.

“You get frustrated,” Robinson said. “You start beating your head against the wall saying, ‘Why am I doing this if I really can’t make a difference?’”

However, Robinson said that he rarely runs into these kinds of obstacles.

According to Robinson, sometimes a student wants to take a class that he or she is passionate about, but there is no room or way to fit it in the student’s schedule.

“We know that the student will thrive and do fantastically in that class, but we have to say no,” Robinson said. “Those are probably my most frustrating days.”

Occasionally Robinson does go off campus to meet with district employees such as superintendent Bob Mistele, but Robinson said his favorite days are when he is on campus.

“The best part of my job is seeing somebody smile, talking to somebody about an issue and making sure they are OK and helping out with a situation,” Robinson said. “I get to know that I have been a part of something much bigger than I am.”