Lu Sutton, San Ramon Schools Get New Principals

Leadership roles are changing at several elementary schools in Novato for the next school year, and two new principals will be new to the district.

The last week hired Andy Cline to leadand Bonnie Barron to lead . They both start July 1.

Cline most recently has served as principal at St. Helena Elementary School, a 265-student school for third- through fifth-graders in the Napa Valley. He was hired there in 2009 and focused on establishing better relationships with the PTA, local foundations, businesses and community groups.

“We welcome Andy to NUSD and San Ramon,” said Interim Superintendent Pam Conklin. “I know he will be an invaluable asset to our district.”

Cline, who is fluent in Spanish, started his career in the Central Valley city of Madera where he served as an elementary and middle school teacher at Eastin-Arcola School starting in 1999. He led staff development in mathematics and led the Mathletes program, and he also participated in special events and fairs. In 2008 he became vice principal at Millview Elementary School in Madera and was charged to handle intervention/enrichment, testing, instructional aides and discipline.

Cline has a bachelor’s degree from Westmont College and a master’s degree in education administration from National University. His base salary will be $96,385, according to the school district. He has a wife and three kids.

Cline is taking over for the retiring Kate McDougall.

Barron, whose base salary will be $110,313, has been principal at Marguerite Hahn Elementary in Rohnert Park, a 498-student school that offers kindergarten through sixth grade. Her emphasis there was strengthening collaboration, fundraising for a computer lab and developing targeted instruction on essential standards.

“Bonnie Barron is a great addition to our administrative staff and we are looking forward to working with her,” Conkin said. “She brings a collaborative spirit and broad experience with instructional strategies and assessment.”

Barron joined Cotati Rohnert Park Unified School District as principal at Waldo Rohnert Elementary School, where she developed essential standards, restructured the library and implemented an accelerated reading program. 

Barron began her education career as a teacher in a rural two-room school in the Twin Ridges School District in the Sierra Nevada foothills. She then moved to the Grass Valley School District teaching in a multi-age classroom. She started a new schoolwide breakfast program there and coordinated a Student Success Team.

Three principals came out of retirement to share principal duties at Lu Sutton this school year. Frank Gorman, Richard Gerhardt and Don Meroff all plan to retire again with Barron coming on board.

The only other new principals in the school district aren’t really new. Chona Killeen, principal at , is replacing Jeff King at . Hill is closing as a middle school and reopening as an alternative education center, and King is moving out of the district.

Rick vanAdelsberg, formerly the district’s director of human resources, was interim principal at this year and will be staying on there.