WATSONVILLE—Watsonville High School Principal Elaine Legorreta, whose career in education began at the school in 1997, will retire at the end of the school year.
She said she wants her replacement to be a person with the energy required for the job, which includes 16-hour days and frequent work on the weekends.
“It’s an exhausting job,” she said. “The school and the students just mean way too much to me to not be able to do my 120 percent that I expect of myself.
“In any job you reach that point where you exhausted the reserves that got you through.”
Legorreta graduated from WHS in 1978. She met her husband at the school, and started her education career there, teaching U.S. history, world history, economics and government. She also served as an assistant principal before taking the helm of the school in 2010.
“I have only been at Watsonville High School,” she said.
In addition, two of her daughters went to WHS, and she has grandchildren who will likely go there.
“Most of my family has gone to Watsonville High, and I think that’s what’s at the crux of it: I see how far we’ve gone,” she said. “There is always so much more to do. There are new challenges. I really just want it to continue to be more fantastic every year.”
In her retirement, Legorreta said that she plans to spend time with her family.
“I look forward to cooking dinners, and being free on Saturdays, and really just to have my own time again,” she said.
Legorreta told her staff about her retirement through an email last week. Her decision was a surprise to many, including Vice Principal Joe Gregorio who said he has looked to Legorreta as a mentor and a mother figure.
“She’s always been around during my teaching life, and has helped me wherever I needed help, especially after I took this job last year,” he said. “I’m sad and I’m still in shock. You always want your parents to be around forever, but that’s not the case.”
Gregorio lauded Legorreta’s leadership, especially through the fast-paced shutdown caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“This has been a tough situation to handle and I’ve seen some schools not do so well—some of the walls at other schools have crumbled,” he said. “She was able to say, ‘this is the plan,’ and then get people to buy into that plan…. She’s been incredible.”
Pajaro Valley Unified School District spokeswoman Alicia Jimenez said that the district will post the job opening for two weeks. The process to find a replacement will take about one month, and must be approved by the PVUSD Board of Trustees.
News of her retirement drew a flood of praise over social media from educators, administrators, PVUSD Trustees, former students and several members of the community.
“Thank you for your love and dedication for our students and beloved school,” wrote Pajaro Valley Prevention and Student Assistance CEO Erica Padilla-Chavez. “Enjoy the next step of the journey.”
