About Me
My name is Ryan William Galaszewski, and I am originally from Wisconsin. I now reside in San Francisco, California, where I currently serve as the principal of a K–8 school. In this role, I strive each day to create a school environment that is welcoming, student-centered, academically rigorous, and rooted in compassion. A school leader, in my view, models integrity, consistency, and empathy; listens actively; communicates clearly; builds trust with students, families, and staff; and makes thoughtful decisions that always keep children’s growth and well-being at the center. Leadership means being present, visible, and supportive—guiding others while continuing to learn alongside them.
For the past ten years, I have held a number of international and domestic academic positions. After completing my undergraduate and graduate degrees in Education Policy, I moved to South Korea, where I gained meaningful experience in both classroom and administrative roles. During that time, I helped write and edit children’s stories for English learners, supported curriculum development, and led professional development conferences for educators. These experiences taught me the value of collaboration, reflective practice, and goal-driven decision-making.
Throughout my career, I have remained deeply committed to K–12 education. I have been actively involved in curriculum planning, academic development, faculty collaboration, and creating systems that help both students and teachers thrive. Open communication, a shared commitment to student success, and a willingness to adapt have always guided my work. Education, to me, is both a profession and a passion.
I invite you to explore more about the qualities I believe educators and leaders should strive toward—qualities that extend beyond schools and into everyday life. Growth takes patience, practice, and humility, and I continue to challenge myself to embody these values each day.
When I’m not at school, you can often find me reading inspiring books, caring for my houseplants, or cooking delicious food.
Leadership
Working closely with others can be challenging, but effective leadership requires collaboration, clear communication, and openness to growth and change. As a principal, leadership means staying grounded in purpose, keeping students and community at the center of every decision, and building trust through consistency, empathy, and integrity. Strong school leaders listen carefully, value diverse perspectives, and create an environment where teachers, staff, students, and families feel supported and empowered.
A principal must be confident in decision-making while remaining receptive to feedback and constructive criticism. Patience, humility, and perseverance are essential—trust is earned through daily actions, visible presence, and a genuine commitment to serving others. Throughout my experiences in both classroom and administrative settings, I’ve embraced these responsibilities and worked hard to model the qualities I believe leadership should embody.
These guiding standards continue to shape how I lead, support my school community, and strive to create meaningful, positive change. To read more about standards which provide a solid foundation in leading teams, please click HERE.
Teaching Philosophy
I am proud to do work that I truly love. Throughout my years in education, I’ve had the privilege of showing others the value, purpose, and transformative power of learning. My teaching philosophy reflects my belief that every classroom—and by extension, every school—should be a place where students are placed at the heart of every decision, supported, challenged, and inspired to grow.
Education is a continual journey, and educators carry a direct responsibility in guiding that journey with care, intention, and integrity. I believe success is measured not only in test scores, but in how students grow as thinkers, leaders, and human beings—academically, emotionally, socially, and personally. My goal has always been to cultivate environments where students feel safe, valued, and motivated to reach their fullest potential.
You may read more about my teaching philosophy HERE.
Classroom Management
For many educators, classroom management can be challenging. Lack of engagement, side conversations, and disruptive behavior can all affect a teacher’s ability to deliver meaningful instruction and create a positive learning environment.
Through my own teaching experiences, I have developed strategies and implemented structures that support a well-organized, student-centered classroom. These include establishing consistent daily routines, using positive reinforcement, creating clear and accessible expectations, and incorporating motivational tools that encourage active participation and focus.
Effective classroom management also requires understanding the needs of the group as a whole while recognizing and supporting individual students. When educators are attentive, responsive, and intentional, learning thrives. You may read more about my classroom management approaches HERE.
Lesson Planning
As any educator may know, it takes organization for a class to run well. This is not limited to weekly lesson plans. Such plans keep a rigid time schedule to ensure students' time at school is used in a productive and timely manner. It is the teacher's responsibility to keep students on task and on track with daily and monthly goals.
Lesson plans should be organized so they are easy to understand, especially when last minute emergencies occur and substitute teachers are present. A simple plan encompasses the class goal, a warm-up activity or review of last class, a class exercise/lesson, and a final wrap up to ensure students' understanding.
To see an example of a functional lesson plan, please click HERE.
WORK EXPERIENCE
Principal - Archdiocese of San Francisco School District
• Provide visionary leadership for schoolwide strategic initiatives centered on student well-being, belonging,
school culture, and academic relevance in an evolving educational landscape.
• Serve as a highly visible, engaged leader who articulates and promotes the school’s mission and values
within the school community and beyond.
• Guide, supervise, mentor, and evaluate senior leadership and faculty; foster leadership development,
accountability, and collaborative excellence.
• Lead major institutional processes including accreditation (WASC), schoolwide surveys, data gathering, and
continuous improvement planning.
• Partner with Development on fundraising initiatives, donor relations, and capital campaigns that ensure
long-term institutional health.
• Oversee transparent communication regarding initiatives, progress, and outcomes to strengthen trust and
community engagement.
• Collaborate closely with Human Resources in hiring and talent strategy.
• Ensure thoughtful fiscal stewardship, efficient operations, and alignment with strategic goals.
• Lead committees, task forces, and cross-functional initiatives to advance institutional priorities.
Educator - Archdiocese of San Francisco School District
• Designed and set Proficiency Standards for the Archdiocese of San Francisco School District.
• Committed to following Common Core Standards.
• Consistently met and surpassed testing goals.
• Flexible of individual working habits and keeping open communication for
better workflow while adhering to time constraints and objectives.
• Able to meet timely goals while adjusting to sudden chance in a high stress
atmosphere.
• Engaged in effective training, coaching, and team building sessions and
exercises.
CATAPULT LEARNING
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Upheld Common Core standards to ensure success and ongoing progress.
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Well versed in Title I policies and procedures.
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Attentive to details and organization to complete workplace goals.
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Conducted daily meetings with administration to provide detailed goals.
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Supported individual student academic needs through ongoing learning sessions.
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Provided ongoing mentoring and assistance to company partners to complete objectives.
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Continued professional development classes.
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Provided open door communication for questions and sought ways to enhance academics.
KOREA POLY SCHOOL
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Created a curriculum which encouraged exceptional growth in areas best needed for the students’ and parents’ expectations.
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Provided daily/monthly assessments of each student’s progress.
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Conducted parent/teacher conferences designed for open communication and discussed learning improvement, behavior, and critical thinking concepts.
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Modified instruction for specific children with learning disabilities and language barriers by explaining lessons in simpler steps and with additional interactive exercises.
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Assisted with and counseled speeches qualified for national speech contests.
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Facilitated additional after school learning sessions for students to maximize opportunities to study, speak, and explore the English Language.
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Attended professional development workshops for additional ideas on how to apply key methods within the classroom.
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Lead professional development workshops to nearly 1,000 employees.
BEYOND ADVANCED ENGLISH ACADEMY
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Developed a student centered and age appropriate curriculum designed to engage with the English Language in new and creative ways.
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Provided monthly evaluations for each student’s personal accomplishments
and future goals.
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Wrote and edited stories centered on students’ vocabulary and age to further
their language ability.
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Engaged in effective training, coaching, and team building sessions and exercises.
WALT DISNEY COMPANY
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Gained valuable experience with children during an internship with this Fortune 500 company.
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Able to provide prompt and professional assistance to guests during high pressure and emergency situations.
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Made safety and satisfaction priority while learning essential team building exercises.
Education
B.S. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
M.S. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Degree in Education Policy
Emphasis in Community Education
Degree in Education Policy
Emphasis on Race Relations and Transracial Adoption
Volunteer Work
Mo Sarang Center
Sage Community Center
America's Black Holocaust Museum
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Volunteer tutor
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Mentor and role model to youth facing multiple barriers to success
Helped create a comfortable and inviting place for senior citizens
Offered assistance with monthly events and welcome new members
Welcomed guests to the museum
Assisted with front desk responsibilities
Resume
To view and download a complete resume, please visit here.
Miscellaneous
Academic Tutor
Penn State University Proctor
Privately held sessions for individuals seeking additional assistance in English, grammar, speaking, and mathematics.
Responsible for maintaining the academic integrity of the exam process for Penn State.
"If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude."
Maya Angelou
