[vc_row full_width=”” parallax=”” parallax_image=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]Andy VanFleet is new to the job of principal but no stranger to THS. After serving as vice principal and disciplinarian at THS, Andy took on the principal’s job after Mark Neffendorf retired in June 2015. Last year, Andy was the youngest administrator in the Tigard-Tualatin School District but with the recent retirement of two school vice presidents he is in good company; fourteen of the school’s staff are new this year.
A graduate of OSU, Pacific University, and Lewis and Clark College, Andy is tasked with creating a positive environment for 1,956 students. This comes naturally for Andy who came to the TTSD with experience using Effective Behavior and Instruction Support and Positive Behavior Support strategies. Two years ago, 80% of THS students graduated on time after 4 years of study; this number has since grown to 82% and is above the State average. Of the 18% who don’t graduate, some come back for a fifth year and, sadly, some drop out.
THS uses several strategies to increase students’ success, including Effective Behavior Intervention Services and Professional Learning Communities. During the 2013/14 school year, there were 485 suspensions; this number dropped to 300 suspensions in 2014/15. The diversity of the school has doubled in the last ten years and the student body is currently 62% white. Unfortunately, there are a number of homeless students at the school, although the number has remained stable over the past year.
Andy’s career in education began in 2002 as a language arts teacher in Beaverton. While there he taught a variety of classes including IB Literature and Intervention English for 9th graders. He also coached basketball and track and was part of Beaverton’s Nike Teacher Leader Academy.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]