After only three weeks at Paly, new Student Activities Director Allye Davies has had her fair share of memorable experiences.

"While brainstorming ideas with the leadership class for the Aloha Dance, someone asked me if we could use the saying ‘Come to the dance and get lei’d!’ to advertise," Davies said. "I wasn’t really paying close attention, and I agreed."

Since the beginning of the school year, Davies, who replaces four year veteran Joann Vaars, has become accustomed to answering multitudes of phone calls and emails and handling most of Paly’s behind-the-scenes operations and working with the senior levels of the administration. As Paly’s student government advisor, her jurisdiction includes clubs, dances, and spirit week.

"Just getting used to all of my responsibilities is going to take awhile," Davies said. "It was a little overwhelming at first, but I’m getting the hang of it."

Davies, a native of Southern California, finds Palo Alto’s small-town charm extremely appealing. The only aspect of life on the beach that she misses is surfing.

"I grew up around San Luis Obispo in a close-knit community, and it kind of reminds me of Palo Alto," Davies said.

Davies graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo in 2001, where she majored in kinesiology and minored in nutrition. After obtaining her degree, Davies served as a long-term substitute teacher at Santa Maria’s Righetti High School for one year. Following her stint as a substitute, Davies moved to the Bay Area and took up a teaching position at Prospect High School in Saratoga. Davies remained there for the next three years, teaching physical education, aerobics, dance, and weight-training, while occasionally overseeing leadership activities.

"I pretty much stick to leadership and sports," Davies said. "Those are my specialties."

Davies has always been involved in competitive athletics. In high school she ran track, played beach volleyball, and coached indoor volleyball. During college, she joined a ladies tackle football team. Currently, she plays in a co-ed softball league in San Mateo. If her schedule permits, Davies wants to help coach track at Paly this spring.

"I guess you could call me a health nut," Davies said. "I work out everyday at 24 Hour Fitness."

After attending a private high school and subsequently teaching at public high schools, Davies was of the opinion that private schools provided a more well-rounded education than public schools. After coming to Paly, however, her outlook on the public school system has changed.

"Once I began working in public education, I believed that private education was so much better," Davies said. "But the caliber of students at Paly is definitely up to par."

With the school year off to a positive start, Davies says she looks forward to a productive and successful rest of the year.

"Paly students have so much confidence in who they are," Davies said. "I’ve only been here a short time, and I’m already amazed."