After Melinda Roberts left Student Life at the end of the 2023-24 school year for a different position at North, a question emerged: who would keep Student Life running now? Rebecca La Porta joined North staff as the new Assistant Principal of Student Life to work with students, deans and facilities alike.
Before coming to North, La Porta worked at several other schools in a variety of job positions.
“I was a high school math teacher for a while, and then after that, I got my master’s in leadership and became a dean at a high school. [I] did that for quite some time, [and then] I was an assistant principal in a middle school,” said La Porta. “My heart and soul [have] always been in a high school.”
She prefers working with teens, as they are young adults who are currently figuring out their own paths in life.
“I also think that this is a unique time where everyone starts to just recognize who they are as a person, and so getting to know people on a deeper level and learning how they want their life to be is exciting,” said La Porta.
On a day-to-day basis, La Porta communicates with clubs, activities and athletics in order to help students fully participate and find their passions.
“I focus on working with activity advisers to make sure that our clubs and organizations are meeting the needs of students, and that we include student voice and choice as much as possible, so that we are producing well rounded, confident individuals [for when] they leave high school,” said La Porta.
She also assists in disciplinary procedures and decisions. By helping students improve, she makes sure that North is a welcoming place for everyone.
“I collaborate with [students] often to make sure that we not only have a standard of practice where we are meeting the needs of students in terms of eliciting positive behavior change, but that we are also gauging individual circumstances and meeting the needs of all of our kids and our families,” said La Porta. “That also leads to having a safe and comfortable environment for [everybody] staff and students included.”
Getting to work in so many different areas of North, LaPorta enjoys the variability and energy in her field. Student Life offers the opportunity to further understand students and what they find interesting.
“I really like [Student Life]. It’s kind of like the hustle and bustle of the school,” said La Porta. “It’s the busiest office. I would say it can be the most exciting.”
La Porta hopes that, through her efforts, all students can feel that they belong at North.
“I think that my ultimate goal being a new person is that people get to know that I care a lot about this community and I care a lot about them, and that I want to listen to learn, and that I want every student to come to school and feel connected to something, whether that’s a person or an organization or a content area or a trade,” said La Porta. “We all have this intrinsic motivation to feel connected to something. That’s just who we are as human beings.”
