Students' return to class marked by changes at the top
Besides personnel shuffle, a new LVUSD learning center is opened
By Stephanie Bertholdo bertholdo@theacorn.com

BILL SPARKES/Acorn Newspapers FRESH START- Left, Derek May, Ken Bales and Aaron Komet, all 17 and Oak Park residents, share a laugh together before school starts at Oak Park High School on Wednesday. Students all over the Conejo Valley broke out the books and the brand new backpacks to return to school, marking the beginning of the academic year.

Campuses in the Las Virgenes Unified School District are opening their doors this year to a number of new teachers, administrators and support staff.

In addition to the new personnel, other changes in the district include the opening of the new Las Virgenes Community Learning Center, an alternative elementary school on the campus of A.E. Wright Middle School in Calabasas.

Administrators at the new school were scrambling to settle personnel and logistical issues when the doors opened yesterday.

"Any time you attempt to initiate a program as different as this you're going to have a lot of bumps in the road," said Donald Zimring, Las Virgenes superintendent of schools. "It's a matter of creating an entirely new school. It's hard to do in four and a half months."

Programs at the Community Learning Center will focus on individual learning styles, compassionate communication and global education, Brenda Harari, director of the school, said in an earlier report.

"It will be a wonderful, wonderful environment for the kids," Zimring said.

All of the teacher positions have been filled, Zimring said, but a home-schooling job remains open and the afterschool enrichment program is still under construction. "The pressure is on," Zimring said.

For more about the district's newest school, see story on page 23A.

Elsewhere around the district, many of the elementary school principals shifted positions. Five of the eight principals have changed jobs, administration officials have said.

Karen Hansen, the principal of Sumac Elementary School in Agoura Hills for eight years, will now head Bay Laurel Elementary School in Calabasas. Keith Tomes, former principal of Chaparral Elementary in Calabasas, moved to Round Meadow as the top administrator.

Carol Martino, a principal of Lupin Hill Elementary in Calabasas for 10 years, is now the new principal at Sumac.

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

Rose Dunn, former Round Meadow principal, was initially going to take over the top spot at Chaparral Elementary, but the announcement of Dunn's move to the district office as director of elementary education left a principal's position open at Chaparral. Somer Harding, A.C. Stelle's former assistant principal, will fill the spot.

Abbe Irshay, principal of White Oak in Westlake Village, will remain at her school, as will Garry Galvan, principal of Willow Elementary School in Agoura Hills, and Brent Noyes, principal of Yerba Buena Elementary School.

New staff members at Calabasas High School include Principal Vincent Jantz; Eric Anhalt, assistant principal of curriculum and instruction; and Linda Pierce, assistant principal of activities. Joe Skaff will continue in his role as vice principal of curriculum at the school.

At A.C. Stelle Middle School, Josh Stephenson is on board as assistant principal. Michele Hayashida has joined the school as a dean. Hayashida hails from the Los Angeles Unified School District where she worked as literacy coach.

There are also new counselors, deans, assistant principals and other employees whose job was to kick off the school year without a hitch as classes began Aug. 29.

Contact your local school for further information, or visit www. www.lvusd.k12.ca.us.