At the beginning of each school year, the century-old walls and Mediterranean-style engravings of Dreyfoos’ Building 1 welcome its students from the sultry heat of summer vacation. However, not everything about Building 1 is old; it now houses the first ever Dean of Student Services, Ronald Lewis.

Several new faculty members now call Dreyfoos home, including Mr. Lewis. Although new, Mr. Lewis already handles a multitude of duties. He is the school coordinator of AICE, freshman class sponsor, and works with Assistant Principal Teneisha Finney on EOC, FSA, PSAT, and other testing.

“I had always heard wonderful things about Dreyfoos, and I also knew that [Principal Dr. Susan] Atherley was a really great leader,” Mr. Lewis said. “And so when this opportunity opened up, I wasn’t hesitant to take it… I thought it would be a great school to work at, a great principal to work for, a great location, and I was also looking for something new.”

Mr. Lewis has various responsibilities across campus during the morning, afternoon, and after school. During lunch, he monitors the student parking lot; during the day, he works with teachers to coordinate AICE and other standardized tests.

“I guess you could say… I’m involved in all testing,” Mr. Lewis said. “That’s just part of it. I do a little bit of this and a little bit of that.”

Before coming to Dreyfoos, Mr. Lewis graduated from Florida Atlantic University (FAU) with a master’s degree in educational leadership. In his undergraduate studies, he studied Spanish Literature and Law. Mr. Lewis started out in the Palm Beach County school system as a substitute teacher in 2010. Afterward, he taught Spanish at Seminole Ridge High School, became Dean of Discipline, and was the Choice Program and AICE coordinator there.  

“The Spanish literature [degree] really was to get me my first full-time job in the school system as a Spanish teacher,” Mr. Lewis said. “And, you know, it definitely helps…we have a large Spanish speaking population everywhere in Palm Beach County.”

Outside of Dreyfoos, Mr. Lewis spends much of his free time enjoying various hobbies and activities.

“There’s never enough free time,” Mr. Lewis said. “I like to exercise… I do weightlifting, I go jogging, I like to cook. I’m a language person, I love linguistics, so I study foreign languages on my spare time. I love to read, especially about history… and spend time with family, friends, and my pets.”

The close, friendly dynamic between students and teachers in the Dreyfoos environment has affected Mr. Lewis’ viewpoint on the school and its culture.

“There’s a very positive aura when it comes to just the relationship between the students and the staff,” Mr. Lewis said. “The genuinely overall positive atmosphere… permeates throughout kind of every aspect of the day. It feels like a more closely knit family.”

Unlike teachers, Mr. Lewis does not often interact with students in the classroom setting. However, as an active member of the community, he still makes an effort to reach out to them throughout the day.

“I do try to talk to students around campus whenever I can,” Mr. Lewis said.  “I love any time that I get to go into a classroom… whether it be to cover for a teacher for a period of time or to go in and give a presentation. Even when I’m on my duties outside, I try to chat with students as they walk by.”

In his first few weeks, Mr. Lewis adjusted to the school environment by traveling to freshman classrooms with school counselor Laura Tomasello. Together, they delivered the freshman guidance presentation in order to familiarize the Class of 2022 with high school.

“We definitely want to encourage students to pursue higher education, but, you know, it also doesn’t necessarily have to be college–-just to pursue what their passion is and something that they love, but also be practical about it,” Mr. Lewis said.

Despite having fewer opportunities than most to interact with students, Mr. Lewis expresses his feeling of welcome and looks forward to being integrated into Dreyfoos.

“[Dreyfoos] has been great so far, everybody’s been very welcoming,” Mr. Lewis said. “I feel like I am becoming a part of it. But, you know, it’s a process. So I’m looking forward to… totally feeling like I’ve become a part of the Dreyfoos culture.”