De La Salle North Catholic High School (DLSNC) is excited to announce the appointment of Ms. Deirdre Perkins as its next principal. Perkins, DLSNC’s current Vice Principal for Academics, will be the seventh principal of DLSNC, succeeding Ms. Maria Cabrera, who has served in the role on an interim basis since August 2022. The leadership transition will take effect as of July 1, 2024.
Cabrera, who is retiring after 11 years of service to DLSNC in a variety of roles, said, “I am thrilled that Deirdre has accepted the Principal position! With her dedication to rigor and academic excellence, her compassionate and collaborative nature, and her vast experience in curricular programming, she is the best candidate to help DLSNC continue to elevate and bring to fruition our academic goals. It gives me great comfort to be stepping down as Interim Principal, knowing that the momentum and progress we have achieved will not only continue but be in better hands.”
Perkins has served as DLSNC’s Vice Principal for Academics since July 2022. Her career has also included extensive classroom teaching experience in California middle and high schools and six years as District Lead Program Coordinator at Garden Grove (CA) Unified School District where she held numerous leadership positions. While at Garden Grove, the District earned the Eli Broad Foundation award for top urban school district in the nation.
Perkins explained her path to today’s announcement, “I found my why in my first year of teaching, working with kids who were afraid to hope too much, to trust too much but who were filled with all the potential in the world. That experience sparked in me a passion that continues now 20+ years later—the desire to be a catalyst for change through education. As an administrator, I found my how—how a defined vision of excellence could be effectively delineated into best practices that directly improved success for all students. At DLSNC, every day my why and my how come together to guide my work of ensuring that every student is given every opportunity, tool, and support possible to achieve his or her goals.”
DLSNC President Ashleigh de Villiers shares Cabrera’s enthusiasm about Perkins’ promotion, “Deirdre was the clear choice in the interview process for her technical expertise in leading academic change and her passionate commitment to the DLSNC mission. The students and teachers of DLSNC have benefitted, and will continue to benefit, enormously from Deirdre’s 360-degree experience in education administration. In carrying on the strong legacy that Maria has established, I trust that Deirdre will continue to make DLSNC a leader in academic excellence in our city. As principal, Perkins will provide instructional and academic leadership, guide curriculum and instruction, coach teachers and foster their development, and serve as a faith leader in the DLSNC school community.”
Perkins, originally from San Bernardino, CA, holds a BA in English and History from the University of California/Santa Barbara and an MS in Educational Administration and Leadership from National University. A practicing Catholic, she is married to Michael Perkins and has one elementary school-age son, Troy, and two stepsons, Brandon and Shane.
Concluding, Perkins commented, “It is a tremendous responsibility and an incredible honor to be chosen to lead DLSNC. It is remarkable how dedicated this entire community is to the well-being of our students, filling their toolboxes with all the skills and knowledge they need to lead successful lives. It’s a pay-it-forward kind of place because our graduates leave here and go out to be the catalysts for change in their communities.”
