James Wrede (Assistant Principal)
James comes to Paloma Valley High School with a very diverse background. After graduating from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a degree in Kinesiology, James worked in corporate wellness for nearly five years for multiple tech and health companies through Health Fitness Corporation as a Wellness Consultant and Program Manager. During that time, James coached varsity high school football and completed a M.S. in Kinesiology at CSUEB. However, his passion for being outdoors and interacting with high school students lead to a change of heart and ultimately a career change.
James left a successful career in corporate wellness and completed a M.A. in Education in Santa Cruz while working in the Pajaro Valley Unified School District. There James gained experience teaching in a variety of roles including: Special Education, Health and Physical Education before ultimately teaching Biology and Integrated Science. From there James went on to work in the Santa Rita Union Elementary School District in Salinas where he gained further experience serving as a Language Arts, Social Science and Physical Education teacher while also providing leadership as an Athletic Director, Activities Director and Department Chair. James went on to earn an Administrative Services Credential and has served as an Assistant Principal throughout the past 6-years where he has provided leadership in a wide range of areas. He is most passionate about creating a positive culture that encourages collaboration, engagement, and inclusion in order to promote continuous growth.
James currently lives in Carlsbad with his three young children where much of his free time is spent with them outdoors. James enjoys reading, jiu jitsu, surfing, tennis, riding dirt bikes, coaching and strength training. He has shared that he finds great joy in meeting new people and learning about their interests, passions, and ideas.