NEWS Walnut Valley Unified School District
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 880 S. Lemon Avenue
August 14, 2015 Walnut, CA 91789
Contact:
Kelli Gile, Office of Community Resources
(909)595-1261 ext. 31204
New Mustang in Town
Brandon Dade Takes Helm at Walnut High
WALNUT, CA—Walnut Valley Unified School District is pleased to announce that Walnut High School has a new leader.
The Board of Trustees unanimously approved Brandon Dade as principal during the July 15 meeting.
“I am excited to join the Walnut High team and am looking forward to working with students, families, teachers and staff,” Dade said.
The 15-year education veteran began his new post at the 2,700-student campus in late July.
Dade plans to kick off the first day of school by greeting students as they come onto campus.
“I’m going to be out in the parking lot, waving, and trying my best to say hello,” he said.
Once school is in session, he’ll visit as many classrooms as possible.
“Not only to see the students, but also to say good morning to the teachers.”
“I’ll also be out talking to kids throughout the day. I want to be out there and available to students,” he added.
Dade recently met the Mustang staff during an opening meeting.
“We just had fun!” he said, adding the 150-plus staffers got to know each other better during a cross-curricular activity.
“I also shared some funny moments from my life and a video of a police officer singing Taylor Swift’s hit song, “Shake it Off.”
“I want them to think of this video and laugh when they have those ‘really?’ moments during the school year,” he added.
The new principal agrees with the existing school vision developed for students.
“My vision is to make sure that when students leave here, they’re ready for any post-secondary options, because the world changes so much from year to year,” he said.
Dade said he wants students to be foundationally well rounded.
“I just want them to go out there and dream big!”
Most recently, Dade served as principal at Augustine Ramirez Intermediate School in the community of Eastvale in the Corona-Norco Unified School District.
Prior to that, he was assistant principal at Eleanor Roosevelt High School, also in Eastvale.
Additionally, Dade served four years as assistant principal and three years as a high school counselor at Alhambra High School. He was a teacher at Nogales High School and an elementary teacher.
Dade was previously a Los Angeles County children’s social worker. He is also fluent in American Sign Language.
“If there’s a deaf community in Walnut, I’ll always try to reach out.”
The 6’4” administrator also played professional basketball in Europe and China for two years.
He continues to utilize strategies from his days on the court as an educator.
“Being able to trust that everyone has a skill or unique talent and that I can help them use those skills, makes the team better.” Dade said.
“I look at the whole staff – classified and certificated – as being on one team. And when we have success, everybody contributes to that success. You stay together as a ‘we’,” he added.
Years ago, Dade attended middle and high school in a local school district.
He was surprised to learn that his seventh grade flag football coach and freshman basketball coach, Dave Smith, is a Walnut High teacher.
“I had no clue!” Dade exclaimed. “I told him, thank you because you helped me get to where I am today.”
Dade’s positive outlook is evident through his warm smile.
“I think I’m blessed to be where I’m at and that’s why I tell people you’ll see me smile every day, no matter what. Great people around me have helped and supported me,” he explained.
“It feels like all the experiences I’ve had brought me to this point to be able to give back to the community.”
Dade received a bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of Montana and a master’s degree in school counseling in from University of La Verne.
He is married and has three children.
Dade succeeds Jeff Jordan who was named Administrative Director of Educational Services in June.
Shown:
Brandon Dade has been named the new principal at Walnut High School.