Kelly Clapp grew up in Snohomish, WA and then attended Western Washington University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Education and majoring in English. She began teaching English and language arts right after graduation and was also a high school track and cross country coach. Along the way, Kelly earned her Master’s Degree from Lesley University and her Principal’s Certification through Western.She began her administrative career at Everett High School and then served as the principal of Redmond Middle School in the Lake Washington School District for the last seven years.

Kelly is thrilled to be the new principal of Juanita High School. She believes that JHS should be a place where respect and inclusion provide the foundation for all aspects of the school community so that each student feels safe, supported and hopeful about their futures.

Joe Gorder grew up in Larkspur, CA in the San Francisco Bay Area and then attended the University of California
at Davis for his undergraduate degree. After graduating with a B.S. in Zoology from UC Davis, he earned his teaching certificate from California State University, Sacramento. In 1993, Joe moved to Kirkland and was hired at Eastlake High School where he taught science for 14 years. During that time, he earned a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Washington. In 2007, Joe joined the LWSD New Teacher Support Program as a consulting teacher, serving as a mentor and providing support for teachers in their first two years of teaching. It was in this role that he worked at Juanita at least one day a week for 10 years as he mentored many new staff members. This spring, Joe earned a Masters in Educational Leadership and his principal certification from the University of Washington Bothell’s Leadership Development for Educators program.

Joe and his wife are proud parents of their son who will be graduating from high school in 2018. As a parent of a high school student, he is well aware of the pressure and stress experienced by many students. He is firmly committed to attending to the social and emotional needs of all students
in addition to their academic needs to help ensure that every student finds
their own success in high school. He could not be more thrilled to join the
Juanita leadership team and to partner with students, parents, and staff in the coming years.

Erik Weiss grew up in Eugene, OR, and moved to Seattle in 1992 to attend the University of Washington. After graduating with a degree in English from UW, he earned a Masters in Teaching from Western Washington University and started his teaching career at Highline High School where he taught Language Arts and AVID. During his time at Highline he helped create and became teacher-leader of the small school Discovery Academy and served as department chair for ELA and Success Dean. In 2014, Erik returned to UW, this time for the Danforth Educational Leadership Program, earning his principal certification.

Erik believes that school should be a place where all cultures are valued and that teaching and learning are defined by the belief that all students can achieve at a high level given the correct supports. An educator and a father of three, he believes strongly that the best school for his children, and the best school for all students, is a school that celebrates and incorporates diversity in its core values and vision; he is excited to be a part of the Juanita community that shares these values.

Christine McMillian