All of Tim Fox’s diverse life experiences have led him to Brush Prairie, WA where he will lead Hockinson High School as the school’s next Principal.
Fox’s route to Hockinson High School is a unique one. Tim was born in the Philippines, where he spent the first few years of his life. At age 7, he moved to Oceanside, CA. But because his father supervised Marines that guarded the US embassies his family moved again to Jordan and Singapore, where Fox attended international schools through middle school. Ultimately, his family moved back to Oceanside where he graduated from El Camino High School.
Fox said his international experiences as a student and later as a Marine in Iraq helped to shape his worldview and prepare him for his professional moves and his ease with encountering unique situations and people. “One thing about public education,” Fox says, “every day is different and you really come to understand and appreciate how every student's story is different. One of my goals has always been to learn about every student’s background, personality, and abilities and find ways to bring those out in a way that has a positive impact on the school.”
To Fox, a school is more than a group of staff and students. “It’s a family.” He adds, “Wherever I have been, I try to create a family environment where we take care of each other, look out for each other, and stick together. My goal is to foster a culture where staff and students come to HHS because they want to, not because they have to.” He acknowledges that these close ties also make it difficult to leave to take on new opportunities. “I missed Mtn. View (where he was the school’s Dean of Students) and I will miss Camas (where he has been Associate Principal for the past four years).” The flip side, he says, is “how excited I am to build new relationships at Hockinson. The school has amazing staff and students.”
Fox also points out that “the school family stretches far beyond campus.” It involves parents, siblings, and community members. One positive to come from the COVID pandemic is the increased connectivity of schools. “With the streaming of games and events, schools now connect with grandparents and alumni around the world. COVID forced us to rewrite the playbook on so many school systems. It revealed a lot of possibilities and I am excited to work with HHS staff to explore new ways to connect with students and families.”
A former Marine, Fox is excited to be HHS’s "commanding officer." But he is quick to point out that while the chain of command is necessary in the military and it has some applications in schools, he is primarily a collaborator and a unifier. “I look forward to partnering with our community and creating an environment at HHS that is welcoming to all students and families. I am a big believer in having a shared vision and working together to help every student find success now and in the future.”
Fox is also a devoted husband and father and expects that all of his roles will frequently cross over at HHS athletic contests, music and theater performances, and other events. “I look at students like they are my own kids and I do whatever I can to support them. That often means showing up at everything. So it’s very likely you will see me eating dinner with my wife and daughters at the school before a HHS event,” he laughs.
Fox expects to introduce himself electronically to the HHS school community before meeting students and families in person in August. He says there is even a chance that he might drop in on a few students at home before the school year begins on September 1. “I can’t wait to meet these students!” he says.