Round Meadow principal resigns
By Stephanie Bertholdo  bertholdo@theacorn.com

Keith Tomes

Keith Tomes, principal of Round Meadow Elementary School in Hidden Hills, announced he will resign from his job after the school year comes to a close on June 30. Tomes said he is seeking a top administrative post at a small school district in California.

Tomes, 42, announced his resignation to parents in a Feb. 19 letter.

Since earning his doctorate from the University of Southern California in 2005, Tomes has been seeking a higher-ranking job with the Las Virgenes Unified School District and other school districts in California.

"I decided it was time for me to move forward," Tomes said. "Even though it's a leap of faith, I'm fairly confident that good things are on the horizon for me," he said of resigning his principal's job without having secured another position.

"We're willing to move, but if something came up locally that would be ideal."

Tomes is currently limiting his job search to California but said he wouldn't mind moving back to his home state of Kentucky. "I have all my family back there," he said.

Tomes' small-town roots have prompted him to consider a superintendent's job in a school district so small that he would also serve as principal. "Some of those jobs are intriguing to me," he said. "There are several available."

Leaving Round Meadow won't be easy, Tomes said. The students, parents and staff embraced him as the new school chief when the district moved several principals to new schools in September 2007. In November, parents challenged Tomes to get in shape in time for the school's annual Fitness Challenge in February, and over the past few months he did just that. He exercised with students during lunch and recess, curbed fast food cravings, regularly hit the gym and shed 35 pounds in the process.

"Getting to know the students of Round Meadow has definitely been the highlight of my year," Tomes said in his letter to parents.

Donna Chulack, office manager at the school, will miss Tomes' leadership style. "He's the best type of administrator for an elementary school," Chulack said. "He's loving and kind to our students and will be missed by staff, parents and especially me. He's just the best."

Tomes joined the school district eight years ago, seven of which were spent as principal of Chaparral Elementary School in Calabasas. He said his biggest challenge is shared with every administrator in California: funding. The vagaries of state funding forced Tomes to "be everything" to his students, including nurse and counselor at times.

Despite the challenges of stretching budget dollars, Tomes said he and his wife, Christy, feel lucky to live in the same district where their five children attend school.

"It's been a pleasure to spend the last eight years so close to their education," Tomes said. "I know their principals and teachers personally--I really enjoyed that." He said he also loves being surrounded by parents who care so much about their children's education. "That's the difference sometimes in successful education," he said.

Prior to joining the Las Virgenes District, Tomes worked in Oxnard for two years as an assistant principal. For seven years he taught middle school students at Thomas Edison Middle School in South Los Angeles. "I intend to complete the year here at Round Meadow with high energy and with the same commitment to making it the best school in the district," Tomes said in his letter to parents. "We have accomplished much already this year, and a lot of wonderful changes are still in the works."