New leaders in place as classes start up

Students at all four Laguna Beach Unified School District schools returned to class Tuesday, as two campuses underwent a leadership transition.

Mike Conlon started his first year as principal at Top of the World Elementary, taking over for Ron La Motte, who led the school for 13 years. La Motte left the post to become director of Concordia University Irvine’s master’s in education program.

Carolyn Williams is serving as interim principal at Laguna Beach High School after Joanne Culverhouse, who led the school for three years, left to become Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District’s assistant superintendent of educational services.

Williams is a former assistant superintendent with the Fullerton Joint Union High School District and principal at Dana Hills High School.

Recruiting for a permanent high school principal will begin this week when the district sends an online survey to parents, according to a news release. The purpose of the survey is to gather feedback on desirable traits for the high school’s next top administrator.

The district’s Parent Teacher Assn. Council will hold two meetings next week to gather additional public input. The meetings will be held in the library of the high school, at 625 Park Ave., at 6 p.m. Wednesday and 9 a.m. Thursday.

High school staff, including teachers, will also have an opportunity to provide feedback on qualities they want in a new principal at a separate forum with district administrators, the release said.

The position is currently posted on EdJoin, an online education job site, with a closing date of Sept. 12. Several rounds of interviews will occur with panelists representing numerous stakeholders, such as parents, teachers, support staff and administrators.

Once a candidate is selected, the recommendation will be presented to the district’s board of trustees at a public meeting.