By Minh Ngoc Le
“Once a Baron, always a Baron.” Brenna Orr is no stranger to the Fountain Valley High School (FVHS) motto, returning to the Kingdom after 11 years as the Assistant Principal of Curriculum and Instruction.
Orr began her educational career as a student teacher at FVHS. After teaching English for seven years, she served as the Assistant Principal of Curriculum and Guidance at Marina High School and Huntington Beach High School (HBHS) before becoming the HBHS Principal for the last two.
Inspired by the encouragement of the late Dr. Mike Poff – a family friend, journalism advisor and English teacher at FVHS– Orr fell in love with sharing knowledge and connecting with students after initially considering paths like social work and law.
For Orr, the most rewarding part of administration is not only taking care of students on campus, but also empowering teachers.
“Obviously it’s always the kids. But one thing I also really enjoy about being an administrator is the ability to support the adults. It always starts with the kids, but we have to make sure our adults are also taken care of, so they can take care of you guys and do a great job of doing so,” Orr said.
The role of curriculum and instruction at FVHS revolves around one core mission – ensuring students can have the best possible learning experience.
This goes beyond simply overseeing what classes are offered. Orr works closely with teachers through staff development training to ensure that lessons are engaging, innovative and aligned with state standards. She helps integrate new technologies, encourages creative teaching methods and fosters a culture where educators are constantly learning and improving.
“I always tell people, because they don’t necessarily know all that curriculum and instruction covers – all the cool things that are happening in the classroom. It’s my job to help support the teachers to have those,” Orr said.
Orr is also in charge of managing the logistics of AP exams and annual state testing – a crucial responsibility at an academically rigorous school such as FVHS.
So far, Orr feels extremely welcomed with what she’s seen since the beginning of the school year.
“It’s been amazing. I keep saying it’s like heaven on earth. The staff has been so warm and welcoming to have me back. It’s like I never left, even though it’s been 11 years since I was here, which is awesome,” Orr said.
When asked for a piece of advice, she encourages students to get involved in activities beyond the classroom and dedicate time towards working on themselves.
“I think it’s super important for students to remember that they are a whole person. Academics is important, but it’s important to also look into those other pieces of yourself, to start figuring yourself out before you go into adulthood. Find something that makes you happy, that fills your cup, that de-stresses you.”
As for Orr, you can find her spending time with her family at Disneyland, going to the movies or journaling to unwind after a long day.
Looking forward to the upcoming school year, Orr hopes to explore all that the “Barons for Life” culture has to offer.
“I am really, really excited to be back at Fountain Valley and just being back in the throws of everything that you guys do here. This is one of the three school sites that I have worked at and by far, I think it has the most school spirit, and that’s such an awesome thing to be a part of,” Orr said.
