By Andrew Alonzo | aalonzo@claremont-courier.com

New principals

The Claremont Unified School District’s Board of Education unanimously approved two new principals and one assistant principal during its May 2 meeting.

Ryan Easton takes over as Claremont High School’s assistant principal, student services, following the March 7 reassignment of Andrea Deligio as San Antonio High School principal. Easton, one of 54 applicants, will finish out the school year as a CHS social science teacher before the switch.

The board then unanimously approved Briana Hawkins as the new principal of Mountain View Elementary School. Hawkins was chosen among a pool of 25 candidates and will conclude the year as assistant principal at Bloomington’s Joe Baca Middle School before moving to CUSD.

(L-R) Ryan Easton, Richard McAlindin, and Briana Hawkins were named Claremont High assistant principal, El Roble principal, and Mountain View principal, respectively, starting July 1. Courier photo/Andrew Alonzo

Richard McAlindin, one of 20 considered, was selected as El Roble Intermediate School principal. He will continue to serve as assistant superintendent of executive services at the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District before the summer transition.

The moves were met with a robust round of applause from those in attendance.

McAlindin’s appointment is of particular importance, as he is succeeding two interim principals at the El Roble. Board of Education member Dr. Alex McDonald added that after an extensive search, the board believes it found the right candidate.

“I look forward to the challenge,” McAlindin said after his approval.

The trio of new principals start July 1.

Fiscal matters

The board unanimously approved resolution #15-2024, giving the nod to spending an estimated $21,864,126 of CUSD’s Education Protection Account funding for fiscal year 2023-2024 on certificated teacher salaries and benefits. Resolution #16-2024 was also adopted unanimously, allowing up to $3 million to be temporarily transferred between funds as needed for fiscal year 2024-2025.

“There are times throughout the fiscal year when the District is unable to cover its cash needs in any given fund with the cash available in that fund,” according to the agenda. “Any temporary borrowings must be paid back by the end of the fiscal year in which the borrowing occurred if transacted in the first eight months of the fiscal year, or by the end of the following fiscal year if transacted in the final four months of the fiscal year. These transfers are strictly a transfer of cash and do not impact budgeted accounts in any way.

“The positive fiscal impact is that of retaining the ability to meet fiscal obligations and appropriately managing cash flow.”

Additional items

Also during the May 2 meeting, the board:

• Recognized CUSD’s 2023-2024 Volunteers of the Year: Kara Palumbo of Chaparral Elementary School; Monica Steckling, Condit Elementary School; Mima Bravo-Wilson, Mountain View Elementary School; Alissa Turcios, Oakmont Outdoor School; Zozi Alvarez, Sumner-Danbury Elementary School; Joanna Lord, Sycamore Elementary School; Stephanie Prisbrey, Vista del Valle Elementary School; Alison Martinez, El Roble; Susan Kent, CHS; and Cindy Rainey, SAHS.
• Heard from Baldy View Regional Occupational Program Superintendent Shelley Adams who presented an overview of its programs and oral reports from student and community elected board members.
• Took action on the following consent calendar items: approved overnight field trips set for May 20-21, June 23-29, and January 21-24, 2025; classified a computer and printer at Vista del Valle as obsolete and greenlit the items disposal; accepted donations and gifts totaling $18,388, and 10 vendor agreements; authorized the Los Angeles County Office of Education “to make year-end appropriation transfers as needed to permit the payment of obligations of the District incurred during the fiscal year 2023-2024”; approved the following regarding salaries for unrepresented, confidential, and management employees: “As a result of financial uncertainties, negotiations, legislation, and other factors, the Governing Board of the Claremont Unified School District hereby declares that all management, confidential, and other unrepresented employee salaries are declared indefinite for the 2024-2025 fiscal year”; accepted various classified and certified personnel actions; entered into an adult school special services contract with Jane Tickey-Williams; made CHS Principal James Mitchell, Athletic Director Harold Sanin, and CUSD Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Kevin Ward its 2024-2025 Claremont High School California Interscholastic Federation league representatives; and adopted a revised Board Policy 4113 regarding assignment.

The next school board meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 16, on the third floor of the Richard S. Kirkendall Education Center, 170 W. San Jose Ave., Claremont. Agendas are posted at cusd.claremont.edu.