Principal's Message
Joel Jory is excited to start his 8th year as the Principal at Vandenberg Middle School after two years as Assistant Principal. Mr. Jory is a Lompoc native who attended Vandenberg Middle School as a student and graduated from Cabrillo High School. Mr. Jory earned his Bachelor’s degree from Fresno State University in 1993. He also earned his secondary teaching credential from National University in Fresno, and a Master’s degree in School Leadership from Cal Lutheran University. Previously, Mr. Jory worked for Desert Sands Unified where he taught middle school math and physical education for three years. Mr. Jory spent 16 years at Cabrillo High School as a math teacher, water polo coach, and swim coach. As Principal of Vandenberg Middle School, Mr. Jory hopes to support the staff, students and the VMS community as we all strive to learn and grow towards excellence together.
During his free time, Mr. Jory enjoys golfing, traveling, reading, and camping with his wife Brianne, their children Hayden and Tobyn. The Jorys love their family pets: Scooter, a rescue cat, and two Boston Terriers Zemma Blu and Brophy.
Mr. Jory can be reached by phone at (805) 742-2700 or email at jory.joel@lusd.org.
Vice Principal's Message
Ms. Barbara Courain served as a teacher at VMS for six years before becoming our assistant principal in 2018. Ms. Courain has her Bachelor’s degree from Cal Poly and teacher certification from Sacramento State University. She began her teaching career as a high school teacher in Sacramento, working for five years at the Elk Grove School District. She then moved to Philadelphia where she earned a Master’s Degree in Urban Education at Temple University.
Ms. Courain also worked for Temple University’s whole school reform program, providing high schools in Chicago, Washington, D.C, West Virginia and Pennsylvania with staff development, helping them to create school improvement plans. She then resumed teaching, working for several years at the largest middle school in the Philadelphia School District.
Ms. Courain grew up in Orcutt, where she now resides with her family. She has three sons: identical triplets! She enjoys hiking and has a strong interest in other cultures, having traveled to many countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America.
Ms. Courain can be reached by email at courain.barbara@lusd.org or by phone at (805) 742-2700.
Mr. Jory
Ms. Courain
