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"I had to see a bigger picture than just my classroom," Bell said of overseeing leadership. "To navigate the lens of a school culture and climate, decide what the class would do, and discern how that would effect the campus environment. It was much more school-wide focused."
When Bell decided to pursue a master's degree in education administration and leadership, it was a natural extension of his passion for the subject. "I felt like the work that I was doing as the leadership teacher and the time that I was putting into developing the school culture and the program were substantial," said Bell. His goal in going back to school was to eventually teach leadership full time.
Though Bell was looking to make a larger campus-wide investment, he never pictured himself at the helm of a school. In 2012, Bell moved from teaching English and leadership at Dougherty Valley to overseeing leadership and serving as associate principal at Acalanes High School. It was a transition that was both surprising and inevitable for the third generation educator.
Bell is who is now settling into his first semester as principal, one that has seen uplifiting school spirit and the terror of a school lockdown on Oct. 13. To say it's been eventful is an understatement.
Each month he runs a Q&A during First Forum, a monthly event designed to update parents on the programs, opportunities, and general happenings at Acalanes. This month we've done a little Q&A of our own with the new captain at Acalanes.
Lamorinda Weekly: How did you decide to go into teaching?
Travis Bell: With a last name like Bell you don't really have a choice. My mom was a principal, so I grew up always being around schools and in classrooms and I knew at a young age that was something I was interested in.
LW: Why take the helm at Acalanes?
TB: I really love the Acalanes community. I think they're doing some really cool things to support students both academically, socially and emotionally. There are some big changes coming up and a lot on the horizon. I want to be there to support that work.
LW: What unique perspective do you feel you bring to your role?
TB: Being a communications major gave me a broader perspective on effective communication, and having taught leadership gives me insight into creating a broader culture and perspective for schools. I also think that being younger in the profession helps me to connect a little more with our students (not that you can't if you aren't, but I try to leverage that).
LW: Is there anything you miss about teaching?
TB: I miss teaching every day. I really miss having a smaller group of students that you get to know really well and invest in over the course of the year. As an admin you still invest in culture and community, but it's on a larger level and you don't always feel or see the benefits as directly. You have more of a say in bigger decisions that impact students, which is cool, but the responsibility is also weightier.
LW: How have you seen the field of education change in the past several years?
TB: There's been a dramatic increase in the use of technology to augment and enhance the student experience and provide resources for teachers in the classroom. There's also more and more emphasis on building a school culture and community.
LW: If you weren't a principal, what else would you do?
TB: I have aspirations of doing lots of things. I really love the service industry-I've always wanted to be a waiter-I would also love to manage a venue and work on events. I love seeing needs and meeting them in a relational setting.
LW: What is your stress-reducing activity of choice?
TB: Running, swimming, and yoga are my go-to stress reducers. I love reading as well.
LW: What are some of your particularities?
TB: I'm a coffee snob and a foodie. I drink black coffee every day, but my go-to drink is a dry cappuccino. My all-time favorite restaurant is Pizzaiolo in Oakland. The menu changes daily so you can't get the same thing twice, which is what I tend to do that at restaurants.
LW: What is the last thing you watched on Netflix?
TB: I binge on "30 Rock" and I laugh out loud a lot. My most recent new show was "Stranger Things." My wife and I watched it in three or four days over the course of a week or two.
LW: What is something your students wouldn't expect about you?
TB: I played Shark Boy in a weekly production at a summer houseboat camp, which is pretty much exactly what it sounds like.
LW: If you could take one class as Acalanes, what would it be and why?
TB: There are a lot. Right now I would take drama. The times that I walk into that class students are always up and moving and interacting with each other. I think it'd be really fun.
LW: What is your hope for yourself and your role at Acalanes?
TB: When I was teaching leadership I created a philosophy of relational leadership, which was to befriend, encourage, model and challenge and ourselves and others to be leaders on our campus and in our community. I carry that with me. I want to befriend the students, staff, and parents of Acalanes, to know who they are and learn about what they value and what they want out of their educational experience. I want to encourage them to jump in and invest and be involved and a part of that community. I want to model what it looks like to be a part of that community and then challenge them to go deeper. Acalanes is a great school, but let's not settle for where we're at. We need to constantly be looking at what we're doing and making it even better.
Lockdown at Acalanes High School October 13
Police officers flocked to Acalanes High School after the school was put on lockdown Oct. 13. Two auto burglary suspects were arrested after a chase from Pleasant Hill to Lafayette, and a search of the school found one suspect hiding in the boys locker room. The other suspect was found in a nearby backyard, Lafayette police Chief Eric Christensen told local news outlets. - P. Spear
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA