Assistant Principal Melanie Wong announced last month that she is leaving at the end of this school year to take the next step in her career as assistant principal at Garden Grove District.
“I’m looking to grow professionally… I wanted to be able to learn more things as an administrator, and so going to a district that is a little bit further away from here, a little bit different in maybe the size and how they do things, and just wanting to learn with a new experience,” Wong said.
She began her journey here in 2001 as an English I and English Language Development (ELD) teacher, then became Class of 2015’s Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) advisor, the Associated Student Body (ASB) director from 2005 until 2023 and eventually became the school’s assistant principal. With over 24 years of service, Wong’s influence has led her to be a vital part of the school community.
“A lot of the things that we do started with her time here, and so I think that everyone will remember her kind of bringing tradition and new things and changing things along the way, so I think that will be remembered for a long time,” math teacher Maya Ybarra said.
Wong shared that what she is most passionate and appreciative of is the school’s culture, creating memories and forming bonds with colleagues and students over the years.
“What makes us who we are, are the people. We have great students, students who are kind, students who are passionate, students who have great ambitions and goals. I’ll miss all the students who are here. I’ll also miss the staff, the teachers, the support staff, you know, the staff gives of themselves to our students very generously, their time, their energy, their care, and I get to see that every day. I’ll miss the friendships that I’ve made with all my colleagues,” Wong said.
With over two decades of experience, Wong shared that she found teamwork amongst the staff to be one of the most important factors in successfully doing her job and preparing students for their lives after high school.
“I’ve learned that we can’t take our work lightly because our job is to prepare for their future in every way, and I think with that though, to be successful in that and to do that well means that our staff and all the adults here we have to have good connections with each other and work well together,” Wong said.
Along with the connections she built with her team to guide students in making good decisions, Wong finds herself driven by compassion and consideration for students, which has been evident in her work ethic and acknowledged by colleagues.
US history teacher Charles Evans described how Wong’s ability to support students contributed to their success.
“She’s what I call a force multiplier. She makes everybody better. She makes students more motivated, more willing to work hard in class to excel. She’s one of the most impactful people that’s ever worked here…she’ll be greatly missed by everyone, especially me,” Evans said.
Advanced Placement (AP) English Literature and freshman English honors teacher Theodore Moser described how she served the school’s staff.
“She’s always been like the go to for as a problem solver. She’s the one that could help solve the problem, both through analysis and thoughtfulness and motivating people to do the right thing,” Moser said.
Erin Reid, English teacher and Teacher Association of West Covina (TAWC) President, who worked alongside Wong for 18 years when she was the Renaissance advisor and ASB director, respectively, compared their relationship to “yin and yang.” Their distinct, but compatible teaching styles made for an effective partnership.
“Our personalities are very different, I think our teaching styles are very different, and I think that’s kind of what makes us a great team,” Reid said.
As the school prepares for this significant change in administration, Wong hopes her legacy will continue to serve as motivation to students and staff to persevere and attain their goals.
“I hope that all the things the school has given me, that I’ve been able to give back through my service and through my time and I hope that people know that the things that I have done, were done with excellence, care, and genuine love for this community,” Wong said.
