Chaparral Elementary School’s new principal Julie Olesniewicz believes nurturing the “whole child” is vital to providing a good education.

Appointed by the Claremont Unified School District Board of Education on June 2nd, Ms. Olesniewicz is succeeding former Chaparral Principal Lori Kerns and wants to continue the school’s endeavor to develop students academically, socially and holistically.

“Under state accountability mandates, too many schools have given up art and music. For a child, that may be what he or she is best at,” Ms. Olesniewicz said. “We have to develop their strengths. We’re still under mandates such as closing the achievement gap and keeping our API scores up, but it is important to include the differentiating for our students. And Chaparral has a lot of great programs already in place.”

Ms. Olesniewicz served as principal of Howard Cattle and Rolling Ridge Elementary Schools in the Chino Valley Unified School District for one year before coming to Claremont. She served in the district for 4 years. 

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