As the 2022-2023 school year kicks off, Tracy High School has tabbed Meagan Strelka and Antonio Quintana as the new assistant principals on campus.  

Before Meagan Strelka took on the position as Assistant Principal at THS, she started her teaching career at Central Elementary School and just last year was the Assistant Principal for Monte Vista Middle School.  

Antonio Quintana began his teaching career as a 6th grade teacher at George Kelley for eight years. In the year prior, he took on the role as the Assistant Principal for Williams Middle School. 

Although neither had forgotten where they started, they knew they were ready to begin a new journey. 

Strelka found out she was the new AP right before spring break, ironically on the Tracy High School Campus, and felt “excited and couldn’t wait to meet and start working with [her] new team!” 

Quintana had a very similar reaction. He knew he landed the job on May 11th and was “extremely happy and relieved.” 

One of the biggest struggles of being offered a new position is deciding if it’s a right fit for you. However, both Strelka and Quintana knew they would fit right in with the Bulldog Family. 

Strelka knew she would thrive in the Tracy High environment because she “always heard that the staff here was like a family and truly dedicated to the success of the students.” Something that is very important to her. 

Quintana, a second-generation Bulldog, has been connected to Tracy High his whole life. “I graduated from here 30 years ago. My father graduated from Tracy High 70 years ago. My son graduated from here 2 years ago. It’s where my wife, my mother, my siblings, and the majority of my family graduated from,” Quintana said.   

So, when Quintana reflected on this rich Tracy High history, he strongly values, “Bulldog pride and believes that [THS] offers a high school experience unlike any other in Tracy.” He was so excited for the opportunity to continue being involved with the Tracy Bulldogs. 

Every new position comes with its own set of challenges, but the new AP’s have taken on theirs like a champ. 

Strelka’s biggest challenge this far has been, “learning about all the different things Tracy High has to offer on campus.” THS is much bigger than the last two campuses Strelka has worked at. 

“It has so many wonderful opportunities for students and [she] has enjoyed learning about and supporting everything that [she] can on campus” she said. 

Quintana’s biggest challenge has been the amount of new responsibilities. “At the middle school level last year, I focused primarily on discipline, evaluations, IEP’s and supervision. Here at the high school, there are even more duties that the AP’s are responsible for,” he explains. 

Nevertheless, Quintana is very thankful for all the help from Gary Henderson and Strelka who are “great teammates to all” and “work extremely well together”. 

The new Principal at Tracy High, Jon Waggle, also recognizes the AP’s effort to adjust to the complexity of High School. 

“They are learning the ropes and quickly adapting to Tracy High School and it’s culture” Waggle said. 

Even though Strelka and Quintana have only been here for a couple months, they have already built memories that will last a lifetime. 

Strelka’s favorite part about Tracy High is the Bulldog Spirit. “I have had so much fun seeing all the amazing things students do on campus. I absolutely love attending the games and am looking forward to all the other events and activities throughout the year,” she remarked. 

Quintana can recall a few specific memories in the short time of his being here at Tracy High that have stood out. “On the first day of school I went to the top of the home bleachers and watched the sun rise across the campus.” he remembers. 

Quintana also recalls, “Our Freshman Orientation rally and first school rally were both enjoyable to watch and be a part of.” 

Quintana could not forget the first football game at Kimball. “That night was extremely busy for us but was also an exciting game to watch and a favorable outcome for our team,” he said. 

Both AP’s hope to make a big impact on Tracy High. 

Strelka aspires to be, “Approachable, positive, and understanding for both students and staff.” She wants every person on campus to know, “they have someone they can come to no matter what.” Strelka only wants to see the best for Tracy High and help students learn, grow, and succeed. 

Quintana hopes to follow in the footsteps of Tracy High’s previous leaders Lynn Dell Hawkins and Jason Noll. 

He says he aims to “bring [his] own cultural perspective to not only [his] team but the entire school.” 

He says that he wants “[this] school to be the best in town and [he] wants all of the students to be proud to call Tracy High their home.” 

Jon Waggle can already see the impact of these APs with the younger students at Tracy High. “Having come from the Middle School level, they have experience dealing with that [freshman] group”. 

They “talk with and relate” with them, making them feel more comfortable on campus. Waggle also appreciates their “enthusiasm and willingness to attend after school events.” 

It’s apparent that with the addition of these two new AP’s, Tracy High will continue to meet its expectation of being the best high school in Tracy.