The biggest change at HMSA this year? One of the school’s key members, Dr. Smith, has left. All will miss her, but those who knew her well will feel her absence more than others. She was replaced by Ms. Martha Castellanos.  

After working at HMSA for eight years, Dr. Smith decided to leave the school last year. She was promoted to Director of the Hawthorne School District and now works at the district office. HMSA wishes her success in her new endeavors.

Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to sit down with HMSA’s new Assistant Principal, Martha Castellanos. Prior to arriving at HMSA, Ms. Castellanos worked at Lennox Middle School for eighteen years. She spent spent nine of those years as a teacher and another seven working as a teacher coach. She spent her last two years at LMS as the Assistant Principal.

She proclaimed the transition to HMSA as “bittersweet.” Although she’s enjoying her time at HMSA, Ms. Castellanos also misses her coworkers from LMS. Ms. Castellanos has a strong attachment to the school and its people because she attended LMS both as a student and faculty member. “I’m getting into things here and then I get a card from friends keeping in touch,” she comments with a hint of nostalgia. However, Ms. Castellanos is happy she made the transition to HMSA. Although she thoroughly enjoyed LMS, she was ready to move on.

Over the past couple months, she observed and learned how HMSA works. She praised the very “committed and welcoming staff” who made her transition easier. Her admiration for the staff members was very obvious, as she commented that on her Thursday walk-throughs, she often forgets to leave classes because she greatly enjoys the teachers’ lessons. She added that she feels the “need to take notes!” She also enjoys the school’s email system. She can email students about important matters and get quick replies (something she was unable to do with middle school students). When addressing the lunch detention system, Ms. Castellanos made clear that she wasn’t changing anything anytime soon: “I have to learn the system before I can do anything.”

Throughout the rest of her time as our school’s assistant principal, Ms. Castellanos hopes to “learn and grow.” She’s ready for the experience that working at a high school will bring.

At the end of our sit-down, Ms. Castellanos addressed the school’s diversity and academic success: “The students are what make the school special.” Along with the staff, HMSA’s students welcome Ms. Castellanos into her new adventure.