Principal's Corner

 

It is an honor to introduce myself as the proud interim principal of The Renton High School. My name is Drew O’Connell and I join the RedHawk community eager to collaborate with the amazing students, families, staff and greater community of RHS, and to build upon the long legacy Pride, Tradition and Excellence, the cornerstone values of our school.  

I was born and raised about 4 miles north of Renton in the south Seattle community of Rainier Beach by a carpenter and a career schoolteacher. From my parents I learned the importance of diligence, collaboration, integrity, and perseverance and have intentionally embedded these values in my career as an educator. I graduated from Franklin High School in Seattle Public Schools and then attended Washington State University where I earned my Bachelor of Science in Physical Science. After graduating from WSU, I worked for my dad as a laborer and carpenter while I attended Antioch University Seattle in the evenings to obtain my master’s degree and a teaching certificate. I later attended Western Washington University to earn my principal certification.  

I started my educational career as a paraprofessional during the summer school program in Seattle Public Schools before earning my own classroom where I taught high school science and AVID. I also served as an Academic Intervention Specialist (AIS) before becoming an assistant principal and principal in Seattle Schools. In my career I have been fortunate to serve the school communities of Garfield High School (science teacher), Cleveland Heights High School (science and AVID teacher-Ohio), Rainier Beach High School (science teacher and AIS), Whitman Middle School (assistant principal), and Franklin High School (assistant principal (2015-2019) and principal (2019-2022)). I also served as the director of student life in the Bellevue School District during the 2022/2023 school year before joining the Renton School District as an assistant principal at Hazen during the 2023/2024 school year.  

I am thankful to have seen the field of education from a variety of perspectives, and this has given me valuable insight into the work we do with students, families, the greater community, and each other. My experiences have informed my core beliefs as well as my investment in collaboration as a key strategy to improve outcomes for the students we serve. Our work is urgent, and we must be intentional to eliminate systemic inequities that disproportionately impact students and communities of color. The gifts, talents, and passions that our students bring with them every day, along with the hopes and dreams of their families and ancestors must inform not only what we do to deepen and extend learning, but also how we work with our students to achieve success. The goal of our work is to ensure that our students have all the doors open and all the opportunities available to them when they graduate. This requires that we know our students as individuals and that we work alongside them to know how they define success and joy, and that we challenge them appropriately and rigorously to ensure we are responsibly preparing them for the future they envision.  

As we embark upon another school year, I welcome the opportunity to collaborate with all members of our school community in support of the achievement of our students. Your feedback and ideas are always welcomed and appreciated along the way.  

Go RedHawkS! 

Drew O’Connell 

andrew.oconnell@rentonschools.us 

425.204.3400