Administration
Meet Your Administrative Team:
Amy Hanson, Karen van Putten, Adrienne Philippe, and Chuck Velschow
Principal
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. Van Putten holds a Master of Arts degree in Educational Administration & Supervision from San Jose State University, a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Sociology and her Secondary Teaching Credential from Hope College in Michigan. Instructional Vice Principal
Instructional Vice Principal
Adrienne Philippe The Instructional Vice Principal (IVP) oversees the instructional programs of Woodside High School. The IVP 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. Other IVP responsibilities include leading the department chairs and facilitating Department Chair meetings.
Ms. Adrienne Philippe joins WHS from our feeder school - La Entrada Middle School in Menlo Park, Ca, where she worked as an assistant principal for 9 years. Prior to that, she taught math and served as Department Chair at Fremont High School in Sunnyvale from 2006-2016. She also taught math at Graham Middle School in Mountain View from 2001-2006, where she also served as Department Chair. Adrienne has been deeply involved with the Stanford Teacher Education Program, both as a mentor teacher and as a graduate of the program herself in 2001. She earned her Masters of Arts in Education from Stanford University and her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Virginia. Her decision to transition into administration was driven by a desire to impact more students and focus on instructional leadership. Adrienne is excited to be a Wildcat! Administrative Vice Principal
Administrative Vice Principal
Chuck Velschow
Works with students with last names A-L
Athletics
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. Administrative Vice Principal
Administrative Vice Principal
Amy Hanson
Works with students with last names M-Z
Special Education Services
Amy Hanson 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, and Safe School Ambassadors
Ms. Amy Hanson started at Woodside High School in 2016. She taught Spanish and AVID and also served as the AVID Program Coordinator and World Languages Department Chair during her tenure. Amy began her administrative career as an AVP at our neighboring school, Menlo-Atherton, from 2023-2025 prior to returning to Woodside High to serve as an AVP. She received an undergraduate degree in Spanish from Western Michigan University and a master’s degree in Bilingual-Bicultural Education from DePaul University. Administration Offices
Administration Offices
Principal
Ext: 40010
Instructional Vice Principal
Ext: 40020
Administrative Vice Principal, works with students M-Z & Special Education Services
Ext: 40032
Administrative Vice Principal, works with students A-L & Athletics
Ext: 40030