Uruguay RPCV Gene Baker to retire as principal of Mountain Vista High



Baker and his wife joined the Peace Corps in 1969 and soon found themselves in Uruguay, South America. With left wing extremists kidnapping ambassadors and citizens, the Bakers decided it would be a little safer in Salvador, Brazil. They spent four years teaching and while in Salvador their daughter, Lisa, was born. The Bakers also learned Spanish and Portuguese while in South America.

Uruguay RPCV Gene Baker to retire as principal of Mountain Vista High

Mountain Vista principal Gene Baker to retire

Tuesday, May 30, 2006

By Leon Emo-- Correspondent

Caption: Principal Gene Baker will be leaving Mountain Vista High after helping establish the school and serving as its only principal for 10 years. Photo by: Leon Emo - Correspondent

Gene Baker, principal of Mountain Vista High since the school's opening, is saying goodbye to his students and staff this week.

Baker, along with his wife, Alma, chief academic officer for Madera Unified School District, is retiring after many years in education and a decade as principal of Mountain Vista.

In 1996, Baker was a key organizer in the founding of Mountain Vista and has been the school's only principal.

Before arriving in Madera, he married his high school sweetheart. After finishing college at Cal-Poly Pomona, Baker and his wife joined the Peace Corps.

"We wanted to get out of the smog," Baker said.

Baker and his wife joined the Peace Corps in 1969 and soon found themselves in Uruguay, South America. With left wing extremists kidnapping ambassadors and citizens, the Bakers decided it would be a little safer in Salvador, Brazil. They spent four years teaching and while in Salvador their daughter, Lisa, was born. The Bakers also learned Spanish and Portuguese while in South America.

Gene Baker earned a master's degree in educational administration in Hawaii and a master's degree in marriage, family and child counseling. Afterward, he went job-hunting in towns in the mountains and along the California coast. After being offered jobs in Fresno and Clovis he chose Madera.

"People are much more friendly," Baker said about Madera. "We felt a sense of community and being appreciated."

Prior to becoming principal at Mountain Vista, Baker was a teacher at Howard and Berenda schools and later became a counselor at both Furman and Madera High.

Baker said he has a lot of plans after retiring. "I love to fish," he said, and "I plan on fishing every lake in the Valley and as much out on the coast as I can."

Baker also used to be a runner - he has completed more than a dozen marathons - and will enjoy becoming a "daily runner" again. Another hobby is his love for ghost towns and mining camps. "I want to go to all the ghost towns in the deserts of California."

As the only principal for the students of Mountain Vista High School, Baker has always believed in the students at his school.

"Some students develop certain behavior because the educational system has failed them," he said.

Since the beginning Baker and his staff have presented a quality program and pushed them hard.

"By developing relationships with students you get their respect and they'll do anything for you," Baker said.

When this story was posted in June 2006, this was on the front page of PCOL:




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