Saratoga News

Education

Photograph by George Sakkestad

Cary Matsuoka, the new superintendent for the high school district, may be a familiar face to some. For 13 years, he taught chemistry, physics and computer science at Saratoga High School.

Ex-Saratoga teacher is back in super role

By Michele Tjin

Cary Matsuoka, the new superintendent for the high school district, never thought he would make education his lifelong career.

"I wanted to go to seminary and be a pastor," he said. "I had no intention of staying in education."

Matsuoka, 49, is the new administrator of the Los Gatos-Saratoga High School District. He replaces Cindy Ranii, who will serve in an advisory role during her last year with the district.

Matsuoka, most recently the principal at Cupertino High School, has spent more than 25 years in education, but it was the ministry that originally captured his heart. He first taught at a Christian private school before moving on to teach science at Saratoga High School in 1984. While there, he was also taking evening and weekend classes at a local seminary, working toward a master's of divinity degree. However, two-thirds of the way through the degree program, Matsuoka took a detour.

"I started to question whether I was cut out to be a pastor," he said. "I had to do some soul-searching. I was lost because that was my career goal."

While the teaching aspect of being a pastor appealed to him, he said, it was the constant interaction with people that caused him to question whether he was making the right choice. To reassess his life's direction, he took multiple personality-inventory tests, where results frequently pointed him to school administration.

The rest, as they say, is history. Matsuoka sought out Kevin Skelly, the former principal at Saratoga, for advice and enrolled at San José State University for the administration program. Matsuoka's first administrative post came at Lynbrook High School in 1997, where he was assistant principal. He was also a guidance and assessment coordinator with the Fremont Union High School District before becoming principal at Cupertino.

"I had to come to terms with leaving Saratoga in July 1997," he said. "I didn't think I'd be back. But it really feels good to be back."

In nine years as an administrator, Matsuoka has developed into a quiet, introspective leader with a reputation of supporting staff members, students and families. His job as an administrator is more than just about educating children, he said.

"I'm in a partnership with parents to help raise and launch their kids," he said. "That's how I view my job."

At Cupertino, Matsuoka regularly held parent education nights, using examples from his own life as a father of three boys. He had an equal desire to see staff members grow emotionally and professionally, said Alison Coy, an assistant principal at Cupertino and a huge fan of Matsuoka's.

"He was committed to meeting with me for an hour every six weeks, mentoring me," she said. "We talked about career goals, personal goals and the [habits and mindset] that are needed in successful leaders."

Matsuoka left Cupertino just as the new school year was getting under way. While Coy said the announcement was a bit abrupt for the staff, they are not completely rudderless. Matsuoka and the staff completed the planning for the school year during the summer and early fall, and now that the course has been set for the year, administrators are simply implementing the plan.

"While I was personally sad to lose my mentor, I was delighted for Los Gatos and Cary," Coy said. "It was the right time for him. As a leader, you have to know when to go to the next adventure, and he was ready for the next challenge."

Matsuoka said as a teacher he enjoyed watching students grow up before his eyes, but being an administrator can be just as satisfying. The reward of administration includes fostering an environment where teachers and students can realize their potential.

"I want students to develop their talent in writing, science, math, athletics," he said. "Every kid has a different set of attributes, but some kids don't know what their talents are. I also want to help teachers develop to their best capabilities."

Since the community has learned of Matsuoka's hiring, he said he has fielded many congratulatory emails from former students and their families welcoming him back. At Saratoga, he's already had the chance to introduce himself to the faculty, which includes former colleagues.

"It may be weird for them to picture me as their supervisor," Matsuoka said. "It'll be interesting with [contract] negotiations and interacting with teachers I taught with. It's something I'll have to work on. We'll have to get to know each other in different roles."

Jenny Garcia, a chemistry and physics teacher at Saratoga, said she remembers Matsuoka as very organized, smart and willing to give advice.

"He's a really patient guy," she said. "He'll be good for the district."

Steve Hammack, who teaches science at Los Gatos, said it was a pleasant surprise to hear that Matsuoka is the district's new chief. The two earned their teaching credentials together at UC-Davis in 1979, and a few years later at the same time, they were both hired to teach in the same district, he at Los Gatos and Matsuoka at Saratoga. Hammack said he's confident Matsuoka will be a good fit.

"He's a smart guy, he has great integrity and he's a fair person--three qualities that make him a great superintendent," he said. "He understands how this district works, the DNA of this district, and what we're all about. In addition, the respect he has from his many years of teaching in our district will give him a great head start."

Matsuoka plans to visit classrooms, not to evaluate teachers, he said, but to see them in action, meet them and offer feedback. He's excited about what the year will bring and hopes those around him will respond to him.

"Leadership is a great thing to provide," he said. "Without it, things get chaotic. Strong leadership helps people find their place."