Principal | San Onofre School

Our Principal

Joe Kniseley

Joe Kniseley is the current principal at San Onofre School on Camp Pendleton. Joe attended San Diego State University (Go Aztecs!) and began teaching in 1999. He began his tenure in Fallbrook at William H. Frazier where he served as the principal for five years. He was then selected to be the founding principal at Fallbrook STEM Academy, where he also served for five years. Prior to working as a school administrator, he was a classroom teacher for ten years and an assistant principal for three. He is proud to be serving the military community at San Onofre School.

Note to the Community

Dear San Onofre Families,

It is both an honor and a privilege to continue serving as your principal. San Onofre School is a truly special place, home to an exceptional team of dedicated educators and support staff. Over the past three years, we have celebrated significant growth in student achievement, consistently performing well above the state average in both reading and math. Our school’s success has been recognized through multiple honors, including being named a California Top Performing School by the Education Results Partnership and receiving the FranklinCovey “Academic Excellence” designation for three consecutive years. With this momentum, and in partnership with our assistant principal, Mrs. Newman, I am excited to build on our shared achievements as we begin the 2025–2026 school year.

One of the things I value most about our school community is our strong and ongoing commitment to supporting military families. Meeting the unique needs of our students—socially, emotionally, and academically—remains central to our mission. San Onofre School is proud to be recognized as a Purple Star School, a distinction that reflects our dedication to serving military-connected students and their families. Together, we will continue to foster a fun, inclusive, and high-achieving learning environment for all.

Strong school-to-home communication is essential for student success. To keep you informed and involved, we will continue sending weekly newsletters, which include important updates, reminders, and celebrations. Our school website is also a great resource where you can find:

News & Announcements
Calendar of Events
Teacher Directory
Weekly Newsletters

In addition, you will receive regular updates via email, phone, and text. If you ever have questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact our office at (760) 731-4361—we’re here to help.

Thank you for your continued partnership and trust. I am grateful every day to be part of the San Onofre community and look forward to another inspiring and successful year together.

Warmly,
Joe Kniseley

Principal, San Onofre School