Meet New Principal of Discovery High School

--- Published on June 02nd 2021 ---
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DHS Announcements
Laurelle Mathison Discovery High School

Laurelle Mathison, the new principal of Discovery High School, has a love for music. It’s been a passion since she was a youth living in Trinidad and Tobago where she grew up. Obtaining a music degree made perfect sense, so after moving to the United States, she obtained a Bachelor of Music from the University of the Pacific and later a Master of Music from Boston University. She utilized her experience and schooling to become a music teacher in the Lodi Unified and Lincoln Unified School Districts.

Although she loved sharing the gift of music with her students, she also enjoyed counseling them, so she obtained her second Master’s Degree in School Counseling. We’re so lucky that she did because it brought her to Discovery High School in 2016. For the last five years, Mathison has been a counselor at Discovery, and beginning July 1, she will become the school’s next principal. “It feels surreal. This wasn’t a path that I saw for myself. I would have never imagined that my journey would lead me here, and I am so glad that it did. Working at Discovery as a counselor has been rewarding. We’re a family. I love how we (staff) work closely together to meet the needs of students and to remove obstacles that have been placed in their way so that they can be successful,” said Mathison.

Although Mathison will be the principal, she notes that it will definitely be a shared leadership with the team leading with her. “I will be cheering them on and doing my best to support them while embracing that village that we have created here for our students. I tell all of my families that what I want for my own kids is what I want for theirs. I absolutely mean that.”

Mathison is replacing Assistant Superintendent/Principal David Rodriguez, who was recently selected to lead Leroy Greene Academy.

Laurelle Mathison Discovery High School