Zimring's ship finally comes in
These are not easy times for our local school districts. Waters have turned choppy due to constant budget wars, declining student enrollment, and the challenges of alternative and special education. On top of it all, some nearby school districts are facing campus closures. In such an environment, the call goes out for strong leaders who are able to chart the proper course.

The Las Virgenes Unified School District, which has 14 campuses and more than 12,000 students, has been captained by several superintendents over the years. But chief administrators come and they go, leaving the board of education to pursue an exhaustive job search every couple of years.

One top candidate has been toiling right in front of them, and this week finally got his shot to become top honcho when the school board announced it was buying out the contract of Superintendent Sandra Smyser and letting her go for undisclosed reasons. Smyser was known to be looking for another job and didn't seem to be as committed to her post as the board of education would have liked. Her dismissal comes as a bit of a surprise; Zimring's hiring does not.

Donald Zimring came to the Las Virgenes district 31 years ago as a teacher at Lindero Canyon Middle school. Ten years ago he became the district's deputy superintendent because of his ability to take charge in all areas of management and administration. Always in the trenches, always leading the way, Zimring has been the school district's de facto superintendent for some time now. He formulates the budget, manages all facilities, and interacts with local municipalities to maximize city-school partnerships. Why the board shunned him in the past was never quite understood.

The Acorn supports the school district's decision to name Donald Zimring superintendent. He'll provide stable leadership during uncertain times and the critical thinking to make the right choices. He was their man all along.