Over the summer break, Wilsonville High School added a new member to its Administrative staff. Tate Olsen, born in Salem and a graduate of North Medford High School, started with the WVHS staff as an Assistant Principal this July. Working most recently as a Teacher On Special Assignment (TOSA) in the Oregon City School District, new to the West Linn-Wilsonville school district, he has previously worked as a teacher in Hillsboro, Tigard-Tualatin, and Salem-Keizer districts. This will be his first year as an administrator.

Olsen proves his credibility by being a lifelong learner. He studied  at OSU for his bachelor’s degree in math. He continued his education in the midwest at Southern Illinois, where he earned his masters in kinesiology, and returned home to Willamette University for a masters in teaching. He currently studies at Lewis and Clark, and is taking administrative classes.

Assistant Principal Olsen sees Wilsonville as a new challenge. Adding a new position to the administrative team requires a new set of tasks. “ A couple of things I’m really focused on is attendance, obviously, trying to get kids in class,” Olsen says. He mentioned another focus of his; “I’m spending some time looking at freshman, and trying to decide or determine what their day is like, and what kinds of things they are successful with, and then what kinds of things they are struggling with, just to kind of give them the proper support they need.”

Olsen loves the atmosphere of the students and staff at WVHS. “One thing that I do like is a lot of the conversations teachers and administrators have is centered around what we can do for kids, so that kids can be successful. Kids are respectful, and teachers care about student learning.”

At home, Olsen enjoys doing puzzles and playing board games with his family. He has two daughters, ages five and a half and two and a half, with the oldest starting kindergarten this year. He also plays golf in his spare time, but with two young kids and a new full time job, his his time might be hard to find.  

So if you see Mr. Olsen in the halls, stop and say hello. Wilsonville is lucky to have gained such a well rounded, successful, and kind administrator. Here’s to a great school year with a great staff!