Stace Sprinkle & Lawrence Shields:

Stace Sprinkle is one of two new security guards here at Shorewood. Although this is her first year here, it’s not her first rodeo working security.

 “I worked security for three years in federal buildings as well as in a college, so I thought this was a good transition to work with high school kids…I was also in the Marine Corps for five years,” Sprinkle said. In her free time, Sprinkle paints, bakes, and works as a freelance writer. She has three kids, all in their 20s, and a dog named Solo.  “I’ve never worked with high school students, but [so far] I really enjoy working with this age because it’s just really fun to get to know them as a person. I think that’s really important,” she said. 

The other security guard, Lawrence Shields, is also new. Previously, he worked at the City of Shoreline Youth and Teen Development Program. By email, Shields said, “I would like the students to know that they have been very welcoming and understanding and that I am grateful to be a part of the Shoreline community.” When not walking around the building, Shields and Sprinkle can be found in the security office, which is slightly down the hall from the theater entrance, by the music rooms.

So, what does being a security guard even look like? Sprinkle gets to Shorewood at 7:15 a.m. to start her day. “At about 7:20 we head outside to meet the students,” she said. “I like to be at the main entrance to greet the students out there when they’re all coming in, and after that we do another patrol, check our emails, sometimes we have projects from admin that we work on. We’re really getting our steps in throughout the day.” Sprinkle spends nutrition break and lunch in the commons, and the rest of her time walking around the school or in the security office.

Finally, if there’s one thing she’d like you to know, it’s this: “We are very open to students coming up to us and asking questions, or just to say hi, or if they have a concern…I can always hand them a pass to go back to class. And, if you see something, say something. You can always do an anonymous tip- you can do that online at the Shorewood website. Please feel free to speak to any of us, we’re here to listen.”

Zechariah Knepper:

Zechariah Knepper is the new college and career counselor. Previousy, Knepper worked at a school in Singapore as an academic administrator, and at Seattle Pacific University as an admissions counselor. He says he enjoyed his position at SPU, “but being an admissions counselor, especially for a small university, like SPU, is much more recruiting to build up a student base and I just don’t like recruiting very much. I want to help students find their place instead of telling them where their place is.” 

But what does he have to do with students? The college and career counselor’s role is to help you get an idea of your plans after high school. Knepper emphasizes that he’s not only there to help you apply to colleges. “If you’re not really sure, like hey, maybe college isn’t the best fit for me… but I don’t know where to plant my feet first, like if you have questions about apprenticeships or internships or just starting a job right out of high school, feel free to talk to me and I will help you,” he said. Additionally, Knepper’s experience as an admissions counselor makes him a great resource if you’re a senior applying to colleges. “If you have a college essay that you want to be read, or if you have a question about applying to a school..I’m in here available,” he said. Anyone can make an appointment to chat with him by scanning the QR code on the Career Center’s door, or by dropping in at lunch or SAS.

Knepper also organizes college visits. These take place during SAS or lunch, and anyone interested in that college, especially seniors, should drop by to learn more about it. The schedule is often outside of the Career Center during the fall. So far, Knepper’s experienced a lot of positivity at Shorewood. “I love how a lot of the students I talk to are super proactive, but hey, if you’re not proactive like I was in high school, I resonate with that because I was that way, but I really enjoy helping you guys out…I’m a resource, just like your counselors and teachers. Feel free to come by if you have any questions.”

Jamie Atencio:

Even though he’s new, you’ve probably seen or heard of him by now. Jamie Atencio is the Activities Coordinator and ASB/Leadership Advisor this year, and he’s excited to join the Shorewood community. “I’ve taught in the district, I’ve had family that has come through here, I have a niece and nephew who graduated from Shorewood, I’ve known about the school, I’ve come to a lot of events in the past here, I was summer school principal two years ago, in the summer of 2022, so I’ve been in or around the school for a lot of time, now I get to work in the school full time for the whole school year. It’s a fantastic place to be,” Atencio said. Previously, he was a dean of students at Echo Lake Elementary, where some students may remember him. He’s been teaching for a hefty total of 20 years, and his experience has come from various positions.

As the activities coordinator, he oversees a lot of the social opportunities that happen, like homecoming, spirit weeks, assemblies, and dances. “I really like the school community here in Shoreline, like staff-wise, and it’s a really fun position. It’s really great being able to plan events for the school and really push our school culture and participation. I love working with everyone in the school,” he said. Atencio is also proud of the student body. “The students are amazing, they’re involved in so many things, and they take their school spirit and the school pride seriously. They’re respectful- homecoming went great with the stairwells, people loved it and respected it and we had it out for the whole week,” he said. 

You can find Atencio often in the leadership classroom, which is room 1603, next to the cafeteria bathrooms and the courtyard. Room 1603 hosts the leadership class, his office, his AVID 10 class, and the ASB/student council. But Atencio also likes to walk around the building and engage with students, so you may also find him at lunch or in the halls. One of his favorite parts of working at schools is getting to know what interests the students have, and in return, “I like to push out who I am as much as I can- at classes and assemblies, I try to share something. I want students to know me and my personality because a lot of this job is personality,” he said. 

In his free time, Atencio likes to do a variety of seasonal activities. “In the summertime, I like to do road trips and camping. In the fall, I try to get out. I have a dog, she’s a golden retriever and we like to go out. I like to take her places- we go to the beach, whether it’s here in Edmonds or we go out to the shores. In the wintertime, I snowboard- that’s my wintertime sport,” he said. As for hobbies, he has a unique skill: woodworking. “I have a woodshop at home. I like to make outdoor patio furniture, or just odd things, so I like to spend my time doing little projects,” Atencio said. Overall, he says, “I love to create opportunities for staff and students to get involved. I love learning, and I love always learning new things. That’s me.”