Kaiser principal going to Pomona

Parents from Kaiser Elementary School petitioned the Newport-Mesa school board Tuesday to cancel its decision to transfer their principal, but the board voted nevertheless to make the change.

At the board’s regular meeting, five Kaiser parents took the microphone to protest the district’s decision to move Principal Stacy Holmes, who has served at Kaiser for four years, to struggling Pomona Elementary School. Parent-faculty organization President Susie Gastineau submitted a petition to the board bearing the names of 13 staff members and more than 60 parents.

Parent and Kaiser librarian Lori Sheppard said Holmes had brought a number of new programs to the school and was the best person to continue running them.

“I’m sure you know that changing a school is not instant,” she said. “By moving Dr. Holmes from Kaiser to Pomona, you’ll be hurting both schools.”

In the end, the board voted, 5-1, to transfer Holmes and five other principals around Newport-Mesa. Supt. Jeffrey Hubbard said the decision was difficult but served a greater need in Newport-Mesa. Pomona, which has one of the district’s lowest-income populations, is facing sanctions under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

“I know it is a loss,” Hubbard told the parents. “I want to acknowledge that. But we hope this is in the best interest of the school district.”

Kaiser parents had previously discussed plans to hold a meeting on campus next week and to circulate a petition at Thursday’s open house, but Gastineau said after the vote that she wasn’t sure if those plans would be realized.

Holmes, who did not return calls seeking comment, won the county’s outstanding contributions to education award in January. When news of his possible transfer spread over the weekend, many parents contacted the board and the school district to complain.

Trustee David Brooks said he had received messages concerning Holmes’ transfer. He noted that it was difficult sometimes to weigh the needs of the district with those of individual schools.

“It’s normal, when we make changes like this, that there are people who are very comfortable with what they have for very good reasons,” he said. “We realize that as well, but by the same token, we’re running an entire school district, and if we identify an administrator who has specific skills and will benefit a different school, our obligation is to do what’s best for the entire district.”