Ten appears to be the magic number for recently appointed Fair Oaks Principal Talmage Allen.
The former Oakdale Junior High School Vice Principal has kicked off his tenth year with Oakdale Joint Unified School District on the west side of town and he couldn’t be happier.
“All nine at the Junior High, which I would have never thought was going to be the case,” Allen said of his OJUSD tenure before starting year ten at the elementary level.
Prior to joining OJUSD, Allen served as a teacher, coach and VP at Escalon High as well as the principal of Van Allen Elementary School.
“I feel more ready for it, really,” Allen said of this go-round with the Oakdale elementary school, noting that Van Allen had half the student body as Fair Oaks.
This time, however, while he feels more ready, it was the encouragement of friends and his peers which ultimately prompted him to apply for the position.
“It’s a lot of fun to have people trust in you in that way,” he said.
Sitting behind his desk at Fair Oaks, Allen shared while he enjoyed his time as Van Allen Principal and feels he did a good job, this time it’s different.
“What I love here, is that we have a Vice-Principal,” he said. “Over there, I was by myself. You had to know everything. All the ins and outs. When someone didn’t like your opinion, they didn’t have someone to say, does this make sense.”
Ten years later, he now has a Vice Principal as well as TK students, all day kindergartners, a student body of 700-plus and a staff of 70-plus … and he’s thrilled.
“I love it. I love working with the staff. I love working with the kids. This is a great staff, I’d put them up against any staff,” he said as he sings the praises of the elementary school staff and their commitment to the student body.
“I’m coming into a great school and trying to add and make it a little better. That’s a tough challenge,” Allen shared.
Yet Allen is up for the challenge and happy to be a part of the team. Of his goals that he’s set as the staff’s new leader, developing a sense of community and bringing the staff together tops the list.
“They put their heart out for these kids,” he said of the 35 teachers and 35 support staff.
As far as his own career, Allen said he has taken some lessons to heart along the way.
“I’ve learned, I’m the best when I’m me. I think that’s why I found success at the Junior High, because I was authentic,” he shared of his professional growth since joining OJUSD. “So I’ve been open to this staff that I’m going to be me. I think that who I am is pretty good.”
In keeping with being true to himself, Allen hosted a meet and greet in the school cafeteria prior to the start of Back-to-School night. Much to his surprise the room was filled.
“It was awesome, and it was fun,” he shared. “I got to be me and present who I am and my family.”
In addition, Allen shared why he’s chosen to work at Oakdale schools, living in the community, his values and the school mission statement.
“It was great to have a room full of people,” he said.
Reflecting on that night, Allen said he both admires and is proud of the staff for their constant willingness to help all the students, treating it like more than just a job. He added that it’s not uncommon for him to receive messages from them after hours expressing concerns.
“It shows their work, they’re taking it with them, because they care,” he said, adding that the staff members are “great instructional leaders.”
And while there was no unhappiness for Allen at the Junior High, where he enjoyed his work and the connections with staff there, it was just a matter of the time being right to make a move.
“It’s a good fit,” he said of becoming a Falcon. “I think that goes back to being me and I’m going to choose to be happy no matter where I’m at. I surround myself with greatness and when you surround yourself with greatness it’s easy to be happy.”
