Mr. Mark Gang is one of the newest assistant principals hired at Glendale High School. He was born in a prairie town in Canada called Saskatchewan, but his family moved to San Luis Obispo, California when he was seven years old. He really enjoys being outdoors, and his hobbies include hiking, gardening, and different types of exercise. He is a big sports fan. “Sports is really kind of my…passion, the thing I really love,” he said.
Mr. Gang also loves to travel, and he’s been to five out of the seven world continents. New Zealand and Australia are some places he hasn’t traveled to yet, but he hopes to take them on soon.
Before coming to GHS, Mr. Gang was a P.E. teacher at Edison Elementary School for 25 years. He then taught science at Rosemont Middle School for five years. Later, he became a teacher specialist at Roosevelt Middle School, a position he held for 2 years, before coming to our school.
“GHS kind of chose me,” he says. Before going through the hiring process, he had heard lots of good things about the staff and community here.
He feels that seeing students change over time is his favorite part of working with them. Besides physical changes, students also “mature and… grow” and “develop interests.” He enjoys the experience of seeing students start to care and to think more and more about their future. Mr. Gang thinks that the diverse list of offered courses at GHS really gives students an opportunity to explore.
On the other hand, it’s difficult for our assistant principal to see students make poor choices that get in the way of their success. Mr. Gang also has a hard time seeing students not get along with their peers, which he feels is “so important in life.” He still believes that “none of us is perfect” and, “there’s always second chances.”
Mr. Gang feels that he was welcomed into a “fantastic team” when he joined the administration of Glendale High. He admires the communication, commitment, and teamwork of the staff here at GHS. He also appreciates how they let him ask questions and learn.
Looking into the future at GHS, Mr. Gang’s biggest hope is for students to leave high school prepared for where life takes them. “My girls are in your generation. I want that next generation to be equipped and ready,” he says.
He understands that college is not in every student’s destiny, but he just wants the graduates to be good and productive members of their community. Mr. Gang looks forward to seeing all of you Nitros at all of the sports games coming soon!
