Administration
Dr. Jake Giessman - Principal
Dr. Giessman previously led Academy Hill School (K-8) in Springfield, Mass., the Center for Gifted Education (6-12) in Columbia, Mo., and Portland's Remote Academy (PK-8). He holds degrees from Harvard, Johns Hopkins, the University of Montana, and the University of Missouri. His doctoral research was on equity in school behavior management.
Ms. Halima Noor - Assistant Principal
Halima is an immigrant to this country and followed an interesting path to get here. She is from Somalia but spent her early childhood in Russia – in Moscow. In 2004, she and her family immigrated to the United States. She is a proud Deering High School graduate. She began her teaching career in 2019 at Deering High School, and created and implemented the first AP for ALL students class in the district, teaching AP human geography to all ninth-graders at Deering. She is fluent in Somali and truly believes in the power of setting and holding students to high expectations. Halima believes when the bar is set high and students are given the proper supports and scaffolds then ALL students can achieve.
Halima believes in empowering students to be agents of change in their school and community, advocates of diversity and inclusivity in their classrooms, and community. She also believes in ensuring students are empowered to excel at the highest levels, while also giving them the tools to be empathic individuals, focused on fostering a kind, helpful and supportive school community.
Rebecca Schouvieller - Assistant Principal
Rebecca Schouvieller took on the role of assistant principal at Deering High School as of July 1, 2024. She joined the Portland Public Schools from Lewiston High School, where she was an assistant principal. Prior to that, she taught high school social studies for over a decade in central Maine, at Falmouth High School, and in Washington, DC. Other educational experiences include mentoring in Harvard's teacher training program since 2017, as well as curriculum writing and coaching work for districts in Massachusetts and New Mexico. She holds a master's degree from Harvard University and a bachelor's from Bowdoin College.
Rebecca is passionate about supporting high schoolers to define and reach their goals, collaborating with teachers, and making school a welcoming and joyful place for everybody. She is excited to join the Ramily at Deering!