Over the summer West High gained a new assistant principal: Ms. Elisavet Barajas. Barajas has been in education for ten years starting off as a high school math teacher. Prior to that, she was a teacher’s assistant, a tutor and now, it is her first year as an assistant principal. She attended Delta College and University of the Pacific and received a BA in Math and a Master’s in Education and is working on her Doctorate in education, “After college I became a curriculum specialist and math coach.”

Barajas began at the district office as the curriculum specialist teaching, training and supporting new teachers in the district. She also taught at Kimball High School for five years and one year at Tracy High School. When asked why she was drawn to West, Barajas said, “I’ve been working with both [sic] three high schools and have great relationships with all three administrators. And working with all three teams and this opportunity that Dr. Boswell personally asked me to apply and I was very excited to do so.”

Barajas is hoping to just learn about the school, its culture and students as well as try to make a positive impact at West. When asked what advice she’d give to students, she said, “Talk to someone if you are having any issues or going through any problems at school or home, talk to someone… be nice to each other because life is already tough as is and why make it harder.”