Written by Brandon Yung
Online Managing Editor
Ginger Merritt-Paul carried a box filled with yearbooks, curriculum documents, and a pink lamp, out to her car. She was beginning the process of clearing out her office, as her last few days as Assistant Principal at SPHS approach. In the fall, Merritt-Paul will start her principal position at the International Polytechnic High School.
Ginger Merritt-Paul, Assistant Principal of Curriculum at South Pasadena High School, will be moving on to become the Principal at “I-Poly” in Pomona. After her final interview, Merritt-Paul was selected for the head position at the specialty high school on Thursday, June 29; that day, the South Pasadena school district made the position opening public. Merritt-Paul will begin at I-Poly at the start of the upcoming school year.
“The next step is exciting for me,” Merritt-Paul said. “It’s just been a really quick transition, and I’m just a little sad I wasn’t able to say goodbye to the students and teachers [at SPHS].”
Most students know Merritt-Paul as simply Ms. Merritt out of habit around campus from when she assumed her role as Assistant Principal of Curriculum. Since joining SPHS in 2012, Merritt-Paul has overseen the implementation of the Common Core curriculum, helped redesign the English Learner’s curriculum (which now has a higher success rate), and created a 2nd period home study period for seniors. Under her guidance, SPHS earned a 5th place ranking in the state for the new Smarter Balance Assessment Consortium— or SBAC test.
Although she will further be able to influence progressive curriculum at the I-Poly school, which shares a campus with the Cal Poly Pomona College and has less than 600 students, Merritt-Paul looks back at her five years at SPHS with affection and appreciation.
“I feel like South Pasadena is an amazing school, and students are going to continue to benefit from the staff, who really want them to succeed.”
