Woodside High School

• 199 Churchill Ave., Woodside, CA 94062
• 650.367.9750

Meet Your Administrative Team: 

 

Karen Van Putten, Cara Klackle, Wendy Porter, and Chuck Velschow

Karen van Putten

 

Woodside welcomes new principal, Karen Van Putten. Karen Van Putten comes to the District with 27 years of experience in K-12 education as a teacher, mentor, and principal in schools across the Bay Area. Karen Van Putten’s dedication to equity, social justice, and her creative instructional leadership brings new and exciting opportunities to Woodside High School. 

 

 

The Instructional Vice Principal (IVP) oversees the instructional programs of Woodside High School. She develops the Master Schedule, facilitates the hiring of teachers and instructional associates, and works with the Guidance Department in regards to class selection, scheduling, and graduation requirements. The IVP also leads the department chairs and facilitates Department Chair meetings.

Mrs. Cara Klackle began her teaching career in 2002 at Lindhurst High in Marysville, Ca where she served as an SDC teacher, department chair, and Instructional Lead.  Cara first came to Woodside High School in 2011 as a special educator and co-teacher.  She served as SpEd department chair, Compass coordinator, summer school principal, SDMC member and WASC focus group chair.  In 2019, she moved to the district office as instructional coach and TIPS advisor.  Cara earned her Administrative Services credential at CSU East Bay in 2016 and returned to Woodside High School in 2021 to serve as Instructional Vice Principal. 

 

 

Chuck Velschow

 

Chuck Velschow works with students with last names A-L; he oversees and enforces disciplinary consequences for all students on his caseload. He works in collaboration with campus security to ensure the safety of all students. Mr. Velschow also supervises: athletics, attendance office, food services, emergency procedures and the health office.

Mr. Chuck Velschow began his full-time teaching career at South San Francisco High School in the fall of 1995, and came to Woodside High School in 2001.  A social studies teacher, he taught in the Business Technology Academy until 2014, where he had brief spells as Program Coordinator and Mentor Coordinator.  In 2014-15 he earned his administrative credential and master's in Educational Leadership from CSU East Bay, coinciding with taking on the role of Athletic Director, AP US History and Leadership teacher at Woodside.  Mr. Velschow also served on the Belmont-Redwood Shores School Board from 2011 to 2017 and coached football for 12 years.

 

Wendy Porter

 

Works with students with last names M-Z
Special Education Services

Wendy Porter is responsible for connecting students with last names M-Z with the support, interventions and disciplinary consequences necessary to become responsible and successful young adults. She oversees the special education program, the Mental Health Counseling Intern Program and support services including the Students Offering Support (SOS) peer programs: Freshman Transition, Conflict Mediation, Kids Learning Empathy and Respect (KLEAR) and Safe School Ambassadors

Ms. Porter has been at Woodside High School since 1988. She taught economics, world studies and psychology for twenty-five years, serving as the social studies department chair from 1998-2014. She completed a four-year stint as Athletic Director prior to becoming an AVP, and coordinated the Shared Decision Making Council and summer school for a number of years. Wendy received an undergraduate degree in economics and a master’s degree in education from Stanford University.

The Span of Control provides an overview of each administrator's duties and responsibilities.