Parents Concerned About Principal Transfers, Friday Meeting

Walnut  Creek School Board trustees met in closed sesion Friday to decide who will be principal at each of its five elementary schools following the departures of two principals at the end of this school year.

No decision was made about who will replace Indian Valley principal Nancy Weatherford, who is retiring, or Buena Vista principal Heather Duncan, who is leaving for a new principal's job at Springhill Elementary in Lafayette, said board member Katie Pena.

Some parents who contacted Walnut Creek Patch have children at Parkmead Elementary and expressed concern that principal Kathleen Scott would be transferred to another school. Parents also spoke about their concerns about principal transfers at the start of the meeting before the board went into closed session.

Pena and Superintendent Patty Wool said they could not comment on what if any transfers were discussed in closed session because they pertain to personnel matters, which cannot be disclosed until a final decision is made.

Pena said she understood that principal assignments can be a sensitive subject. She also noted that the district, for the first time in a long time, has some potentially exciting choices to make because two principal positions are open. There are a number of options open to district board members and staff to fill these jobs, besides transferring principals. The district could promote a teacher from within the district who has administrative credentials or hire someone from outside the district.

As part of this hiring process, anyone under consideration for a new job as principal in one of the district's schools would first meet with a committee of parents.

Some parents expressed frustration that they had not received proper notice about Friday's meeting on principal assigments. Pena, Wool and board president Arthur Clarke said the meeting a notice had been posted on Tuesday, in accordance with state open meeting laws. The notice of the meeting was posted at the district office and at school sites and through e-mail to parents. However, it didn't make it onto the school calendar, and not all parents apparently are on this e-mail list.

In an e-mal sent out to people who had contacted him regarding the special board meeting and principal assignments, Clarke said: "This morning there was a special board meeting with a closed session. ... Folks who attended the Open Session portion of the meeting before the Closed Session also gave us their comments.
The Board has not yet reached a conclusion, and is continuing to deliberate."

He and Pena suggested that people wanting to be on the e-mail list for notice about future board to go the the school district's website.