Community forms committee to reinstate principal

 

Community members, parents, and faculty at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School joined forces this week to oust school board members and restore the axed principal.

As a direct result of the recent brouhaha surrounding Norm Clevenger’s Feb. 14 placement on paid administrative leave and subsequent school board meetings Feb. 19 and March 11, in which the school board refused to renew Clevenger’s contract and reinstate him as principal, shocked and incensed valley locals have formed the Committee for the Reformation of Santa Ynez High.

“RoSY is here to provide the community a forum to gain insights into the administration and leadership of the high school,” said Bruce Porter, a local financial planner and the parent of students enrolled in SYVUHS who is an organizing member of the committee.

 

The committee is an open organization of community members, concerned parents, and high school faculty and staff members. Its main objectives are to restore Clevenger as principal at the high school, replace all five of the SYVUHS District School Board members, and to transform the culture of leadership at the high school district.

A group of about 10 people, including Clevenger, met in Santa Ynez on March 16 to set the foundation of the committee.

The committee is made up of three sub committees with team coordinators. Coordinators include Bruce Porter, Jeff Mullard and Coleen Hefley.

Representatives from the committee said they hope the organization will be much more than a “recall committee.”

 

The formation of the committee came just one day before the job announcement and application for the 2008-2009 SYVUHS principal position close and five days before the district begins interviewing prospective candidates.

RoSY has until June 31 to get Clevenger reinstated, but in the meantime Clevenger has submitted an application for next year’s principal position.

“I’m just there for RoSY if they need information; my participation is solely on a reference basis,” Clevenger said.

“This started with the faculty getting involved, and then community members went to the meetings and got the impression that the board was not paying attention to them.

Now it’s more about making the board members accountable and not so much about my cause,” he added.

 

“I think it was more the board’s response — or non response — that got RoSY started,” he said.

Despite several attempts by the Valley Journal to reach school board members and outgoing Superintendent Fred Van Leuven, none retuned phone calls.

For more information about RoSY, visit www.reformsy.info.