Safine, 33, comes to the high school district from Redwood Middle School in the Saratoga Union School District, where he previously worked for eight years teaching seventh-grade core English and history. While Safine said he'll definitely miss the classroom environment and day-to-day creativity, he's excited to now be affecting a larger,1,300-student population, as opposed to the 60 students he once taught. He said he's also excited to see how many of his middle school students have grown up at the high school level.

"My hope is that every student finds their passion here at Saratoga High School," he said.

Growing up in the East Bay, Safine graduated from University of California, Santa Barbara, in 1992 with a history degree. He then went abroad for nine months to teach English in Taipei, Taiwan. Upon his return to the United States, Safine earned his teaching credential from California State University, Hayward, in history and economics. He then worked as a student teacher at Acalanes High School in Lafayette and moved to the South Bay in 1995 to teach at Redwood Middle School.

"Going abroad helped refocus what I wanted to do. I really discovered my passion while I was teaching in Taiwan," he said.

Teaching Taiwan youth English conversation in small groups was a unique experience, and Safine added that even outside the classroom he learned some Mandarin by matching characters with places on the street. He said his challenges overseas have more than prepared him for working with students from different backgrounds at Saratoga High School.

"I'm a big believer in working in a diverse environment and getting to know students as individuals, more than just culturally," he said.

In his new role, Safine will be responsible for duties related to the sophomore and junior classes as well as attendance, tardiness, cuts and oversight of athletics. It's a perfect fit for Safine, who has been involved in athletics all his life.

Safine, who lives in Los Gatos, was the tennis coach at Redwood Middle School and also co-directs a sports and science camp every summer. When he is not knee-deep in education, he enjoys exercising through tennis, racquetball, softball and riding his bike.

"I've had a lot less time to do that the past two weeks," he said.

The start of school has meant a lot of rapid changes for Safine. Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District Superintendent Cynthia Ranii said Safine replaces Assistant Principal Dan Fowler, who came to Saratoga High School last year. Fowler was transferred to Los Gatos High School to replace Assistant Principal Jerry Halpin.

Halpin took a principal position toward the end of the summer in Southern California, leaving the district with an unpredicted vacancy. But Ranii said she has complete confidence that Safine is ready to take the reins as assistant principal.

"Brian is extremely intelligent, very student-centered and resourceful," Ranii said.

There are now three assistant principals at Los Gatos High School because of budget cuts, Ranii said. Last year there were four. There are also now three assistant principals at Saratoga High School, with Safine's position being 60 percent of a full-time assignment.

"But I fully expect to work every day of the week," Safine said.

And a 60-percent contractual obligation should work out fine for Safine, since it will allow him time to focus on his master's degree research. Safine attends classes every Wednesday night and one Saturday each semester at San José State University.

He plans to graduate in June with a master's in teaching leadership and educational administration, along with a local consortium of teachers who attend the master's degree classes at the high school's district offices. The classes are taught by Ranii and former Saratoga Union School District Superintendent Dr. Mary Gardner.

The high school district's board members unanimously approved and officially appointed Safine to his position at an Aug. 19 board meeting, under the recommendation of Saratoga High School Principal Kevin Skelly, who interviewed Safine for the job.

"I live here in the community, and I know many families who have had Brian as their teacher at Redwood Middle School," Skelly said. "I just know he's a top-flight educator."

Skelly said Safine will be an outstanding addition to the school, because he knows many kids from running the sports and science camp and coaching tennis, plus Safine has good understanding of the high school's curriculum.

"He is just going to do a super job here. I have no doubts about that," Skelly said.

Christopher Farmer, the former principal of Redwood, said Safine's work in the classroom was extremely effective, and he had positive relationships with both students and their families.

"He establishes very good relationships with students, and they enjoy working with him," Farmer said. "Former students who are now at the high school come back and want to say hi to him."

Farmer also said Safine has demonstrated organizational experience by running an eighth-grade visit every year to Washington, D.C., and New York City. Farmer added he enjoyed working with Safine on a daily basis.

"He is very thoughtful and reflective about his own thought process as a teacher, and he has a wide range of personal interests," Farmer said. "He is very good company. People like to be around Brian."