Hermosa School Superintendent Resigns

Hermosa Beach School Supt. Marilyn Corey resigned last week to become superintendent of the larger Oak Park Unified School District in southeastern Ventura County.

In Corey’s nine years as superintendent, the district closed four of its five schools as rising property values discouraged young families with children from living in the area. Hermosa Valley School underwent a $3.4-million remodeling, and, when it was completed last January, Hermosa View and North schools were closed and the district’s 650 students, from kindergartners to eighth-graders, began attending the one school.

The Oak Park district should present a different challenge for Corey. A spokesman said it is a slow-growing district with about 1,075 students, from kindergarten through 12th grade, in four schools.

A second elementary school is under construction and is scheduled to open in December, 1988. Oak Park’s previous superintendent, Dan M. Thompson, 53, resigned as of July 31 to become superintendent of the larger Novato Unified School District north of San Francisco.

Thompson, who is serving as consultant to the Oak Park district during August and September, earned $61,300.

Corey earned $66,000 as Hermosa superintendent and is still negotiating a contract with the Oak Park Board of Education.

“I liked working in Hermosa; it was very challenging,” said Corey, who is 51, “but those challenges have been met and accomplished. I’m looking forward to a new challenge.”

Her resignation is effective Sept. 1, but she said she will work for both districts during September. School begins Sept. 14 in Hermosa and Sept. 8 in Oak Park.

“She was a terrific superintendent,” said Hermosa Board of Trustees President Peggy O’Brien. “We’re going to miss her. Nobody likes to go look for a superintendent again--that’s a real bummer.”

The board will meet in closed session Tuesday to discuss how to replace Corey. O’Brien said the board is considering many options, including having an interim superintendent or having a superintendent-principal, since the district is so small.

Corey’s resignation followed by six days the resignation of City Manager Gregory T. Meyer, who is becoming a deputy administrator of the Los Angeles City Redevelopment Agency.