TUSTIN : Six Schools Will Get New Principals

Six elementary schools in the Tustin Unified School District will get new principals for the next school year.

The changes, which will affect all but three of the district’s elementary schools, were prompted by the reopening of a school and the retirement of a longtime district administrator.

Nancy Baker, principal at Marjorie Veeh Elementary School, is retiring this year after being with the district since 1965.

“I’ve been in public education for 32 years and have loved it, but it is time now to move on,” said Baker, 60.

Baker will be replaced by Gerry Aust, principal at Arroyo Elementary School.

Aust has been principal at Arroyo for eight years and has been with the district since 1963.

District officials decided on the leadership changes at a closed session after last Monday’s board meeting. They expect to choose Aust’s replacement before the start of the 1992-93 school year.

“When you have openings, what you want to try to do is look at the entire district . . . and end up with something that will be an (overall) improvement,” said Assistant Supt. Hollis Griffin.

Griffin said some of the changes were at the request of the administrators themselves, while others are attempts to stimulate new ideas and growth in district schools.

Sycamore Elementary School, which has not housed students since it closed in 1979 because of shrinking enrollment, will be the new campus for principal Angelo DiMino. DiMino is currently the principal at Tustin Memorial Elementary School and will be followed by some of his students because of changes in attendance boundaries.

DiMino, who has presided over Tustin Memorial Elementary for the last decade, will be replaced by Christine Gregg. Gregg, a 16-year veteran of the district, is currently the principal at Helen Estock Elementary School.

Pete Schaefer, principal at Loma Vista Elementary school, will move to Helen Estock Elementary next school year. Schaefer has been with the district since 1967. A replacement for Schaefer will also be named before the start of next school year.