Re “LaRose Tabs Farris as a Visionary and a Collaborator (in a Good Way)”
[img]2803|right|Dylan Farris||no_popup[/img]On the way to his next posting in El Segundo, Dylan Farris said that his abrupt departure from the principalship of Culver Cty High School – tomorrow is his last day – “was actually a very fast process.
“I saw the opening in September. I had an interview on a Thursday (Oct. 2), a second interview the following Monday, and I was offered the job the next day.”
His leap from the Culver High campus to the chair of the executive director of the El Segundo School District’s Human Services Dept. “has all happened so suddenly.”
Was there hesitation on your part?
“Of course,” Mr. Farris said.
“I am walking away from my home. I have been here 13 years. Among my proudest achievements – of what I have done here in my capacity as a teacher, assistant principal and principal – was becoming the principal. It was the pinnacle of my career at that point.
“I am even more proud of the things we have been able to do since I have become principal. I really believe our faculty has moved forward, really lining up behind this vision that (Supt. Dave LaRose) has brought forth.
A Model to Follow
“One of the things I love about Dave is that he has provided me with leadership that I can follow and emulate for my own faculty and staff.
“The staff,” said the 38-year-old Mr. Farris, “has embraced the vision under that leadership. There is progress happening here in terms of just being more attuned to the needs of all of our kids, working very closely together to make sure we are responding to every kid’s needs.
“We have a mission now for no kid to fail and for every kid to graduate, and to not just be okay with what had become normal to us, the normal rate of failure, the normal rate of apathy.”
“The present Culver High graduation rate is 90 percent, which is good. But we are saying now,” said Mr. Farris, “90 is not good enough.
“Everyone has kind of rallied behind it. Ninety percent seems good, an A-minus. But if you break it down, we are talking about 50 kids who do not graduate. We have rallied around (Mr. LaRose’s) idea that ‘Success for all takes us all,’ which is the mantra of the District.”
And a large chunk of Mr. Farris’s Culver City High School legacy.
