Five Principals Change Schools Five principals in the Encinitas Union School District will
change schools for the 2002-03 school year. Rotation of principals within a school
district is considered by educators to be a positive and constructive process. The
change in leadership from time to time allows for growth opportunities for all
stakeholders, professional growth for the administrator and an opportunity to further
develop the culture of the school.
El Camino Creek, Paul Ecke-Pacific View and La Costa Heights
will not have a change in principal leadership for the 2002 – 2003 school year. The
principal’s position at Olivenhain Pioneer Elementary School will be open. The
district will post the position for district Principal during the week of April 29, 2002.
The selection process will take approximately 5 to 6 weeks. The selection of
a new Principal is a district focus and responsibility; however, staff and parent
representatives from Olivenhain Pioneer will be selected to participate in the process.
It is the district’s plan to have the new Principal selected prior to the end
of May. However, the person selected will need to be approved by the Board of
Trustees prior to announcement. This will take place at the June 4 Board Meeting. |
Emily Andrade,
principal at Olivenhain Pioneer Elementary School, will move to Capri Elementary School
beginning August, 2002. Ms. Andrade came to the district in 1989. Prior to coming to
Encinitas, Emily worked 17 years in the Santee School District as Assistant Principal,
Curriculum Resource Coordinator, Reading Specialist and classroom teacher. She
served as the principal of La Costa Heights and is the founding principal of Olivenhain
Pioneer Elementary School. Under her leadership, Olivenhain Pioneer Elementary
School achieved considerable success including being named a California Distinguished
School. This year they were honored as a National Blue Ribbon School. 
Dr. Tim
Reeve, principal at Capri School, will move to Flora Vista Elementary School. Dr. Reeve
has been a leader in our district since 1979 and recently earned his doctorate from the
University of La Verne. Tim has served as Principal of Mission Estancia Elementary
School, Assistant Principal at La Costa Heights, Mission Estancia and Park Dale Lane, and
classroom teacher. He is currently the Principal of Capri Elementary School.
Under his leadership, Capri achieved considerable success including a transformation under
the modernization process. During Tim’s tenure Capri was named a California
Distinguished School, was honored by the California School Board Association with a Golden
Bell Award and was just recently denoted as a school of Honorable Mention for California
Distinguished School. 
Owen
O’Connor, principal at Ocean Knoll Elementary School, will move to Mission Estancia
Elementary School. Mr. O'Connor came to the district in 1989. Prior to arriving in
Encinitas, Owen worked in the Escondido Union School District as Assistant Principal and
teacher. He has served as Assistant Principal at Park Dale Lane and Ocean
Knoll. He was Principal at Capri School for five years and is now in his seventh
year as Principal at Ocean Knoll School. Under his leadership Ocean Knoll achieved
many successes and was one of our first schools to undergo modernization. During his
tenure, Ocean Knoll was named a California Distinguished School and was honored by the
California School Board Association with a Golden Bell Award.
Leslie
Harden, principal at Park Dale Lane Elementary School, will move to Ocean Knoll Elementary
School. Ms. Harden came to our district in 1995. Prior to Encinitas, Leslie worked
in the Santee School District as Principal of Carlton Hills Elementary School, Assistant
Principal and classroom teacher. She brings with her experiences in team teaching,
multi-graded classrooms, differentiated instructional support for all levels of learners,
GATE support and junior high skill experiences. Leslie provided leadership
throughout Park Dale Lane’s modernization process and they were named a California
Distinguished School. 
Dr. Gail Patterson, principal at Flora
Vista Elementary School, will move to Park Dale Lane Elementary School. Dr. Patterson has
been a leader in our district since 1994 and recently earned her doctorate from the
University of La Verne. Gail came to us from Solana Beach Elementary School District
where she served as an Assistant Principal, Media Center Specialist and classroom teacher
in kindergarten, third, and fifth grades. Flora Vista Elementary School, her current
assignment, has achieved many successes under Gail’s leadership. They were honored as
California Distinguished School and are currently completing modernization. 
Dr. Ray O’Toole, principal at Mission Estancia Elementary
School has announced his retirement at the end of this school year. Dr. O’Toole
has made a tremendous contribution to the Encinitas Union School District during his
career and a positive difference for children, staff and parents.