Fred Razo was permanently appointed as principal of Santa Barbara High School (SBHS) last week, following six months as interim principal.
Razo came out of retirement to take on the role after former principal Elise Simmons resigned in August. Simmons’s resignation was a surprise, Razo said, but he was “ready and willing to step up.”
He previously worked at SBHS for 15 years, serving as the school’s assistant principal under both Simmons and former principal John Becchio (now assistant superintendent of human services). Before that, he worked in Santa Maria and for the Santa Barbara County Office of Education, getting his start as a school counselor at Santa Cruz High School.
In an interview with the Independent, the new principal seemed enthusiastic to be where he is now.
“Santa Barbara High School has always been a real special place for me,” Razo said. When Superintendent Hilda Maldonado called last year to ask if he’d be willing to step into the role on short notice, “It was a quick yes.”
He was driving up north with his wife when he got that call and remembers leaning over to ask her if it was okay. “She laughed out loud, like, ‘You already said yes,’” he recounted.
Going back to SBHS was a reunion for Razo, who was familiar with the school and much of its veteran staff. It was not a cakewalk, though, as he and the staff had to “pull together” to get ready for the new school year. Simmons’s resignation was sudden, leaving only a month before classes started.
“That team consolidated very quickly,” he said. “There were a lot of balls in the air, but I certainly got a lot of help. They showed up, and we were ready to go. So I believe we started the school year off okay.”
Since then, it’s been fun for the new principal, who plans to stay on for at least the next few years. “I’m very much enjoying myself. It keeps me going. I like waking up every morning and coming here,” he said. “We have a lot to do, and so I’m gonna just continue on as long as I can.”
In that time, he hopes to improve academic outcomes and build stronger relationships with the students. As a Cal Poly graduate with two master’s degrees in counseling, it is no surprise that Razo also wants to ensure students “feel safe here, socially and emotionally” with trusted adults they can seek help from should they need it.
The Santa Barbara Unified School Board unanimously appointed Razo during a closed session on Tuesday, February 27.
“Mr. Razo has demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities and a deep commitment to the success and well-being of all students, staff, and community,” Maldonado said. “We look forward to seeing his continued stewardship at Santa Barbara High School.”
