The Art of the OCSA Administration

Melody Wu

If you’ve ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of OCSA’s administration, you’re not alone. Many students seem to find the roles and responsibilities of our school’s administrative team somewhat enigmatic. But worry not—in this article, we’ll reveal the key individuals and mechanisms that play a crucial role in the smooth running of OCSA. 

First, it might be helpful to understand what makes OCSA unique—apart from being an art school. Unlike traditional public schools, OCSA functions as a separate Local Educational Agency (LEA). This means it operates as its own district, handling district-level responsibilities, like state testing and fundraising. 

OCSA’s success can largely be attributed to the numerous members involved in the administration and leadership team. While each share some common tasks, like supervising groups of 20 to 30 teachers per year, there are many ways in which their jobs differ.

Acting as the instructional leader of the school, Principal Michael Ciecek leads the administrative team, addresses evolving student needs and sends out important announcements to students and parents. He mentioned, “school should be a place that kids want to be at.” Therefore, his goal is to foster experiences that “challenge students in their thinking.” Maria Lazarova, the Assistant Principal of Arts, bridges the gap between the administration and conservatory directors. She works closely with directors to develop curriculums, schedule events and resolve student-teacher disputes. She emphasized “that the admin team sits in meetings for hours on end talking about what we think is best for students,” and encouraged students to approach her anytime. Becca Freeland, the Assistant Principal of Student Services, oversees student-related events, like on-campus registration, College Fair and the relatively new Career Expo. Going forward, Freeland spoke about wanting to address feedback from the Challenge Success survey and bring more OCSA alumni on campus to share their experiences. Assistant Principal of Student Supervision Abbe Levine focuses on restorative practices, saying that “behavior is a learned competency just like math.” She is also “passionate about equity,” and leads the Coalition for Anti-Racism and Inclusion. Each month, she meets with student culture executive board members and affinity groups to “implement programming that is more inclusive.” Levine even keeps a collection of rocks with positive messages, explaining that each student she interacts with can take and make one. Other members of the administration include Kimberly Lyons and Shelley Stanphill, who serve as the Assistant Principal of Instruction and Learning Specialist, respectively.

Teren Shaffer is OCSA’s President and CEO. You may wonder: why do we have a CEO? Well, as mentioned previously, OCSA operates as its own LEA. Thus, Shaffer’s role is similar to the superintendent of a district. He oversees the administrative team and OCSA Foundation, develops the school vision and actively networks. When explaining his daily schedule, he discussed meeting with various OCSA stakeholders—including employees—to learn their unique perspectives on school topics, executive leadership, elected officials, donors and more. His networking efforts have brought notable guest speakers, like Gerard Way, to the school. Finally, arguably one of the biggest parts of his job is fundraising—which he accomplishes with the help of the OCSA Foundation team—with OCSA needing to raise about $12 million annually to fund its conservatory programs and events. 

Ultimately, the administration’s dedication to their roles at OCSA is fueled by, as Levine said, “a deep-rooted appreciation for the arts.” Shaffer, upon joining OCSA, was inspired by “the caliber and the level of excellence amongst students.” He stated, “the arts teach young people much more than just painting or music. They teach young people about the important skills of collaboration, teamwork, and resilience.” At the end of the day, whether we’re a student, teacher, or administrator, what unites us is a shared love for art—one that finds its ideal home at OCSA.