By Uy Pham
Sitting in a high-level Calculus class at the University of California, Berkeley, Casey Harelson realized the path of an engineering major was not for him. Despite the advice he had received to expand upon his math and science skills from AP courses, this Marina High School graduate decided to switch his major to linguistics.
Harelson began his career working as a manager in the private sector for Kaplan, an educational services company, where he oversaw tutoring centers.
He then decided to obtain his teaching credential and started as a student teacher at Fountain Valley High School (FVHS). He taught English and Spanish at Huntington Beach High School before moving to become an assistant principal at Westminster High School for the last seven years.
In his eighth year in administration, Harelson now serves as the Assistant Principal of Guidance at FVHS.
He became an administrator because of his combined love for teaching and administration. According to Harelson, teaching involves the skills to harness the energy of teenagers to thrive and learn, and administration enables him to work with employees to identify and reach their goals.
“I thrive on doing a lot of different things. I loved working with teenagers, but I also like working with the adults whose career is to be here,” Harelson said. “I enjoy talking with them about programs that they’re working on and making adjustments. With guidance, you get to work with the largest team here, and it’s all about how we can better prepare and educate our students.”
The role of guidance at FVHS comprises one driving question: how can students be prepared for the future?
This involves identifying the courses students wish to take, but also what these courses entail. A key aspect is learning what students’ goals are and helping them choose courses to best prepare them.
“I really believe in a student-driven master schedule [which includes] looking at where the authentic need and demand of students is as far as the courses we offer,” Harelson said.
Harelson also noted the importance of middle school articulation.. Since the Huntington Beach Union High School District is only composed of high schools, Harelson and his team must communicate with middle schools, their students and families regarding FVHS itself.
This includes cross-referencing the programs offered at both the middle schools and FVHS to help continue assisting students to achieve their future goals.
“We also do meetings with administrators and other teachers to talk about what the new programs [the middle schools] are offering,” Harelson said. “What are the new programs [FVHS] is offering, and how do those line up? What are we doing to make it a smoother transition for students?”
Other responsibilities Harelson has include overseeing substitute teachers, dual enrollment and ensuring courses are accredited with both UC and NCAA.
This year, Harelson is looking forward to the return of different guidance events, including Guidevisement, a program that existed before the COVID-19 pandemic. On February 1, there will be a dedicated assembly schedule for this guidance event.
“It’s been gone for a few years, and we’re bringing it back this year … We’re trying to prepare [the students] for life after high school,” Harelson said. “It’s a chance for all grade levels to get some important academic and college-related information.”
This series of guidance events began with the kickoff to college week where the guidance team spent time with seniors to address their goals.
So far, Harelson feels that he has been extremely welcomed with what he has seen over the last few weeks to start the school year.
He credits the driven teachers and educators along with the dedicated office staff for helping the students here. He’s especially impressed with the connection that exists between the students and the guidance team.
“It seems to me the students are very comfortable walking into the guidance wing of the building to get support,” Harelson said. “Our guidance specialists are fantastic. They know our kids’ names. Even though we have more than 3,000 students, oftentimes more than one guidance specialist greets [a student] by name right away [and] knows their face and story.”
Already involving himself in the ‘Baron For Life’ culture, Harelson has attended several sporting events ranging from football to field hockey, and he hopes to continue getting out of his office as much as possible to meet new people and participate in all the activities FVHS has to offer.
Outside of school, Harelson enjoys cooking for his family and pursuing his hobby of Miles and Points, which includes developing and tracking a strategy to earn free vacation miles. Due to what he regards as a “lack of time for his eyes”, Harelson currently favors audiobooks and podcasts. He is currently listening to Lords of the Rings, as he enjoys fantasy and has never read the series.
Regarding his goals for this school year, Harelson hopes to promote transparency and collaboration.
“I don’t come in with any preconceived goals. My main goal is to learn everything about FVHS, and toward the end of the year come up with ideas and goals,” Harelson said. “When we talk about change, it’s never just me sitting in my office. It’s a lot of conversations … I like that anything I’m going to change or do to be something I’d be very comfortable in explaining the pros and cons of.”
When asked if he had a piece of advice for students, Harelson referenced the quote “Comparison is the thief to joy”, which helped him choose the career path that was best for him.
He hopes that students make the decisions in life that are best for themselves, and remain driven toward their own personal aspirations.
“Zoom out on your life, and [don’t] do one extra thing because you felt pressured to do it,” Harelson said. “If you’re always comparing yourself to others, you are always going to be unhappy because there’s always going to be someone better than you. Life is so relative, and trying not to compare is a key to happiness.”
