New Vice Principal ready to make mark at South Tahoe High

The first thing Justin Zunino will have to do is exchange all of his purple clothing for a wardrobe in blue and gold as he starts his new job as Vice Principal at South Tahoe High.

Well, maybe that will be the second thing, first will be buying a home.

Zunino and his wife Nicole are moving to South Lake Tahoe from Oroville, CA where he worked for 17 years, 13 of which were spent teaching and coaching baseball at Oroville High School and the rest as the Vice Principal. Nicole was the school's counselor.

"It's always been a dream of ours to raise our kids in the mountains," said Zunino. Since he grew up at Lake Almanor he knew what life in a mountain town is like and he wanted that for his twin two-year-old daughters, Liviana and Zoelle.

They thought they were staying in the Oroville area with a house close to being paid off and good jobs for both of them. When word of the opening at South Tahoe High made it to Oroville, Zunino said he had to go for it. It was a bonus that the counselor job opened up at South Tahoe Middle School for Nicole.

South Tahoe High and Oroville High both have about the same number of students, but what our local high school has to offer has impressed him.

"There is a lot of energy here and I love the campus," said Zunino. "I'm anxious to meet the kids."

"I am not defined by a job description," he said. "I will get involved." Parents and students will find him at all school functions including drama and sporting events. "Being involved helps make the school operate better," Zunino added.

Zunino completed both his undergraduate and graduate degree programs at Chico State University which means he's traded his school mascots of the Wildcats and Tigers for the Vikings.

- Paula Peterson, South Tahoe Now