Five principals reassigned
By Stephanie Bertholdo   bertholdo@theacorn.com

Five of eight elementary school principals in the Las Virgenes Unified School District will move to new schools by July, administration officials have said.

Karen Hansen, principal of Sumac Elementary School in Agoura Hills for eight years, will move to Bay Laurel Elementary School in Calabasas. Rose Dunn, principal of Round Meadow Elementary School in Calabasas, will trade places with Keith Tomes, who has been principal of Chaparral Elementary School in Calabasas for seven years.

Sumac's new principal will be Carol Martino. Martino has been principal of Lupin Hill Elementary in Calabasas for 10 years.

Sheila Grady, a 33-year Las Virgenes district veteran and eight-year principal of Bay Laurel Elementary, will take Martino's post at Lupin Hill.

"I love working with the families, children, staff at Bay Laurel, and I will treasure the years here," Grady said. "I am excited to get to know another school community, to share my talents and to grow professionally."

Dunn has worked as principal of Round Meadow for eight of the 17 years she has been with the Las Virgenes district. Her educational philosophy appears to mesh with the district's decision to move principals to new schools.

Dunn pondered the move to a new school in a letter to Round Meadow parents.

"This will be a chance for me to build further on the work we LVUSD colleagues have always shared," she said.

Principals at White Oak, Willow and Yerba Buena elementary schools will not be reassigned.

Abbe Irshay is principal of White Oak in Westlake Village. Garry Galvan heads Willow Elementary School in Agoura Hills, and Brent Noyes will continue as principal of Yerba Buena Elementary School.

Irshay, Galvan and Noyes were retained at their campuses because of the length of time they've served, a district official said.

The reassignments have elicited mixed feelings.

"I am saddened about having to leave my Lupin Hill family--my staff, the students and the many wonderful families," Martino said. "However, I will carry my memories and experiences with me, knowing that change provides new opportunities for everyone to grow, both personally and professionally."

Hansen's thoughts mirrored Martino's.

"It will be very hard to say goodbye to my Sumac family after working so closely with the students and families for so long," Hansen said. "But I have always welcomed change and the challenge it brings."

"I will dearly miss the loving staff, students and parents of Chaparral," Tomes said. "They have been very kind and supportive during my tenure."

Superintendent Sandra Smyser distributed a letter to parents and students expressing the reasons for the shake-up. She said that while some school districts move principals every three years, she doesn't believe that scheduled reassignments of principals are necessary.

"However, I do believe that new leadership brings new ideas, a fresh set of eyes to look at issues with a new perspective, and a new personality to bring a new depth of character to the school," Smyser said in her letter.

She pointed to the successes of all of the principals. "All of the elementary school principals are highly successful," she said. "The five principals receiving new assignments have brought their talents and expertise to their schools for the last seven to 12 years.

"Under their leadership," she said, "every school has increased test scores, fostered partnerships with parents and community members, developed programs to foster well-rounded young people, and enjoyed unprecedented success."