Principal's Welcome

Welcome to Oceana High School!

I am honored and it is my privilege  to step into my new role as Principal of Oceana. I am excited to serve this community and support the school’s program and mission. I began my journey with  Oceana 12 years ago in 2011 as a counseling intern while pursuing my Masters in School Counseling at SF State. Since then, I’ve served as Head Counselor, Academic Council member, Senior Exhibition Coordinator, College & Career Guidance Initiative Lead at the JUHSD district office, and most recently as Vice Principal. 

I am dedicated to Oceana’s curriculum, mission, and school-wide outcomes.  I appreciate the strong sense of community at Oceana and the way we come together as  students,  staff, and families to make major decisions. At Oceana, we strive to support and challenge students to learn deeply  through project-based learning, intentional group work, and social emotional learning. Staff continuously innovate, interrogate and refine their teaching practice to provide students with an effective and meaningful learning experience.  

Oceana has a decades-long history of implementing programs that demonstrate how committed we are to student learning.  I also know we can do even better to meet the needs of every student. I look forward to this school year and to continuing this work together as a community. 

Maritza Torres, Principal

Vice Principal's Welcome

I am excited to be joining the Oceana community!

Before joining Oceana, I taught Biology and Chemistry for 10 years at Carlmont High School in Belmont, serving a diverse student population. I was also the Science Department Chair at Carlmont, leading a team of 18 teachers in collaborative work to improve our teaching practices and to implement the Next Generation Science Standards in our courses. In addition, I served on several school-wide and district-wide committees with the goals of improving student outcomes and supporting the staff. 

Three years ago, I decided that I want to have an impact on student learning beyond my classroom and beyond my department, and I enrolled in a Master’s of Education program in School Leadership. I was drawn to Oceana High School because of the staff’s commitment to continuous growth, the emphasis on the depth of understanding, and the commitment to supporting all students. I am looking forward to working together with the staff, students and families of Oceana as we continue to strengthen our programs, so that all the members of our community are able to realize their potential and find joy and meaning.

Michal Nozik, Vice Principal

Vice Principal's Welcome

I am honored and excited to serve the Oceanan community!

I was born and raised in Taiwan.  After college, I taught high school English and pursued a Master's in Teaching English as a Second Language, followed by a Master’s in Computer Science.  After working for AT&T/Lucent Bell Labs as a software engineer, I followed my passion to return to education. 

I taught Chinese language at Dougherty Valley High School for 15 years. I served as a curriculum leader and the school district’s world language lead teacher, supporting 70 teachers and representing the district to the California Department of Education to revise the 2019 “World Language Standards for California Public Schools.”

Driven by a desire to maximize my impact on students, I enrolled in UC Berkeley’s Principal Leadership Institute to obtain a Master of educational leadership degree. I am a passionate and dedicated educational leader committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion to build a supportive, belonging, and welcoming school community.  

I will continue Oceana’s tradition of providing individualized programs to meet students' educational needs. I am committed to supporting students, teachers, and guardians to ensure our students have a positive high school experience and to prepare them for their career and academic pursuits after high school. 

Jennifer Shuen, Vice Principal