Meet the Principal

Dear August Boeger Community—

It is with a heart full of gratitude and humility that I introduce myself to the August Boeger family. My name is Raquel Topete and I am honored to join this thriving community as your Principal.  I look forward to meeting our bright scholars, committed parents, and working collaboratively with such a dedicated and talented faculty, staff and greater school community. This is going to be a great academic year!

A little something about myself. My husband and I have lived in the East Foothills of San Jose for 25 years. This is my home and community. I am a first generation college student originally from east Oakland, who was blessed with two Latino immigrant parents that highly valued biliteracy and biculturalism and that were highly engaged in my education. Whether it was that of our home - educación - knowing how to greet people, being a good citizen and community servant, and having basic home training or that of a more academic nature. I come from a working-class family who, like all parents, wanted better for their children, including the best education and opportunities possible. I am a proud graduate of UC Berkeley where I earned a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in English with a minor in Linguistics. My desire to be a teacher led me to earn a Teaching Credential from The National Hispanic University and, eventually, earned my Masters’ degree in Education and Leadership from San Jose State University.

In my 26 years of experience,  I have guided, advised, supported, and placed students in partnership with parents on the path to a college degree, co-founded a 22-year old college preparatory charter high school in east San Jose, taught in the classroom for 16 years (15 out of those 16 years in east San Jose), mentored and coached teachers and counselors, created and facilitated professional development throughout my career, led and guided curriculum and instruction as a Director of Curriculum and Instruction, and have helped run a 2,200 student school site as an Associate Principal of Educational Development in the East Side Union High School District. I have been intentional about serving the community in which I live and love – the East Side. 

I highly value safe learning environments filled with trusting relationships that allow for fruitful collaboration amongst students, parents, teachers, staff, and community organizations. I have spent a large part of my career professionally developing and mentoring teachers because this is how to most impact teacher and student success and retention. My experience has prepared me to lead in partnership and serve August Boeger’s collaborative efforts to achieve our LCAP goals of 1) increasing student’s success, 2) providing highly prepared teachers and access to quality and standard-based curriculum and instruction, and 3) have clean and safe learning environments in which our August Boeger students attend daily, may thrive, and make meaningful and impactful connections. I am excited to embark on a journey with parents, teachers, staff, district, and community in which together we work to achieve our goals.

I am joining August Boeger eager to listen and learn. However large or small the challenge, we will face and overcome it together- as one community. Everyone is a stakeholder and your insights and feedback are valuable and whole-heartily welcomed. As a community, we have many assets and capacities to bring to bear on what our students need in order to be successful. I want to engage every stakeholder in an intentional listening and learning process in which I hear from you and we begin to chart the course for how together we will achieve our goals. I welcome and encourage your input, engagement, and support. Please feel free to stop in or call to make an appointment to meet and discuss how, together, we can make this year the best it can be! I look forward to meeting and learning from all of you.

Once again, I am excited to be part of the August Boeger family.

Go Bobcats!  Let’s have a great year!

Your Principal,

Ms. Raquel Topete