This fall, Christopher Guyer assumed the role of head of school at PCS, replacing Maria Reitano. Mr. Guyer, who worked as an administrator for the Riverside School District in Southern California before accepting the position at PCS, sat down with ROAR reporters to share some details of his background.
Mr. Guyer was born in the LA area of Southern California. He grew up in Sunny SoCal alongside his younger brother and sister and spent the better part of his childhood days in the great outdoors. His days were spent biking, camping, backpacking, and snowboarding–anything with a mix of fresh air and adventure had his name on it. He grew up alongside pets, “usually dogs, cats and a rabbit here and there.”
At first, his passions leaned toward graphic design and fine arts, and he explored his creativity before pursuing teaching and education. As an undergraduate, Mr. Guyer studied Fine Arts and Graphic Design at the ArtCenter College of Design. He worked in the film industry and was constantly on the move, traveling from place to place. When he wanted to start a family, he realized that his occupation would not allow him to be present at home, which was when he made the decision to leave the industry. It was at this very moment that his career in education and administration truly began to stem. He pursued a Masters degree at Mount Saint Mary’s University before getting a second master’s degree in school leadership at the University of Southern California.
Mr. Guyer worked careers filled with variety and dedication to students. He began teaching as a substitute teacher and worked as a middle school history teacher, which he deeply enjoyed. Prior to PCS, he worked as a director of local control, accountability, and community engagement for a district of 50 schools in Riverside, California. Yet, even working as a director, he still missed working with kids, as he found that to be the most meaningful and fulfilling aspect of his career. When both his kids went off to college, a job opened at PCS, and he had family in Santa Cruz, including a nephew and niece who both attend PCS! Everything came together at the right moment, so he moved up to Santa Cruz to fill the role left by Reitano. This is the first time he has lived in the same city as his brother in 30 years.
He hasn’t quite established a typical daily routine yet, as his schedule is fairly erratic and things often come up spontaneously. He spends lots of time meeting with various different people at PCS: students, teachers, staff, parents, and others in the community. Mr. Guyer tries to spend as much time as possible during the school day visiting classrooms, supervising, or otherwise being present and accessible.
Outside of school, Mr. Guyer’s life mirrors his childhood: He spends much of his time outdoors. He enjoys mountain biking and visiting the beach, both of which, he said, are “part of the appeal of Santa Cruz”. He also enjoys motorcycling, but he hasn’t yet ridden his motorcycle to school, stating, “I don’t want to have helmet head for my meetings!” Finally, he often reads for fun or to decompress and is currently reading the science fiction book Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir.
Mr. Guyer immensely enjoys working at PCS. When asked if he enjoys his current job, he said: “I do. It’s a lot, because I’m learning what needs to be done and how to do it. Although I’ve been a principal before, it’s a new school. Every job is new, and has new needs, but I’m happy to be here. It’s a good community.” His favorite part of the job is the kids and being back on a school site with students, whether that means simply conversing with them, hearing what they’re excited about, or receiving feedback on how to make the school better.
Some of Mr. Guyer’s favorites:
Color: Green
Holiday: Thanksgiving
Food: Pumpkin pie
Drink: None
Hairstyle: “I’m happy I still have hair to style”
