Cesar "Ari" Bernal Selected as Shorewood High School Assistant Principal

Cesar “Ari” Bernal has been selected to serve as Assistant Principal at Shorewood High School beginning in the 2026–27 school year, Superintendent Susana Reyes announced.

Ari brings more than 22 years of experience in K–12 education, including nine years in school leadership roles as an Assistant Principal and Career and Technical Education (CTE) Director. Most recently, he has served as Assistant Principal at Bothell High School in the Northshore School District.

Prior to his work in Northshore, Ari served as Assistant Principal at Mount Vernon High School, where he also served as the school’s CTE Director. Ari began his career in education as a teacher, instructional leader, and coach at North Kitsap High School, where he taught Advanced Placement U.S. History, Social Studies, and Spanish, and helped establish Professional Learning Communities and schoolwide intervention systems.

A bilingual and biliterate leader in Spanish and English, Ari is currently completing a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Washington Tacoma and holds a Master’s degree in School Administration from Central Washington University.

“Shorewood already has something special: a community that shows up for its students,” Ari shared. “I’m coming in ready to listen, build relationships, and work alongside staff, families, and students. This is a place where students are seen, valued, and pushed to be their best, and I deeply respect that. My commitment is to partner with everyone here to make Shorewood's already vibrant and engaging community even stronger. I’m excited to be a Stormray.”

“We are excited to welcome Ari to Shorewood and the Shoreline School District community,” said Superintendent Reyes. “He brings deep experience in equity-centered leadership, instructional coaching, and building inclusive school communities that support all students.”