Santa Barbara High puts Turnbull at the Helm

Goleta Valley Junior High School Paul Turnbull was named principal at Santa Barbara High School. Promoted from assistant principal to principal at GVHS in July 2003, he follows once again in the footsteps of Dr. Kristine Robertson, who left GVHS to take become principal at SBHS and recently was named director of personnel for the Santa Barbara Elementary and High School Districts.

Turnbull was unable to attend the July 26 board meeting where his appointment was unanimously approved.

“I believe he will be an outstanding advocate for Santa Barbara High School,” said Superintendent Dr. Brian Sarvis in announcing his appointment. “We had a number of high quality applicants for the position, Paul Turnbull was the clear choice. Paul is clearly the right leader for this job. He brings many fine qualities to Santa Barbara High School. He is dynamic, he is innovative, and I believe he will be respectful of the culture of Santa Barbara High School. He is knowledgeable about curriculum and instruction and has high expectations for all students. He works collaboratively with staff and students and the parents and has consistently demonstrated a high level of integrity.”

When interviewed by the South Coast Beacon last year after being selected as one of the “40 People Under 40 You Should Know,” Turnbull said his favorite thing about being a principal was, “being around people who are excited about being around kids, helping people learn, and making our community stronger. Being in education restores my faith in human nature because I see examples of caring and altruism every day.”

Before coming to GVHS in July 2001, Turnbull was a teacher and administrator in the Abbotsford Senior Secondary School in British Columbia, where he taught International Baccalaureate English, English, physical education, outdoor education, and coached varsity girls’ basketball and varsity football. He also taught in grades 3-12 in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

He has a master’s degree in education from the University of Victoria, British Columbia. As an undergraduate, he earned three different bachelor’s degrees: in education, at University of Manitoba; in English literature, at Queens’ University in Kingston, Ontario; and in physical and health education, at Queens’ University in Kingston, Ontario.

With Turnbull’s promotion, Sarvis said the district will “move rapidly to find the best principal for Goleta Valley Junior High.”

Originally published in South Coast Beacon on July 28, 2005.