SOUTH COUNTY : New Principals Named at 5 Schools

Capistrano Unified School District officials have announced several new principal assignments for the coming school year.

Rickie Lundgren has been named principal of Dana Hills High School, where she will take over for John Smart. Lundgren, who came to the district’s attention during its recent search for a principal for the new Aliso Niguel High School, is currently assistant principal at San Dieguito High School in Encinitas.

Smart will assume a different administrative assignment, which has yet to be announced.

School officials say Lundgren was selected for the position because of her extensive background in vocational education, community relations and co-curricular and athletic programs. She holds a bachelor’s degree in vocational education and a master’s degree in administrative services from San Jose State University.

A resident of Cardiff, she has worked as principal, assistant principal and teacher in five school districts throughout the state.

In other changes announced by the district: Jeff Bristow, principal at Concordia Elementary School in San Clemente, will become principal at Carl Hankey Elementary School in Mission Viejo; Shirley Martin will move from Hankey to become principal at Del Obispo Elementary School in San Juan Capistrano; Marcia Jones will move from Del Obispo to Harold Ambuehl Elementary School in San Juan Capistrano; and Kathy George will move from Ambuehl to Concordia.

In another recent action, the board of trustees named Jodee Brentlinger assistant principal at Newhart Elementary School and Reilly School, both in Mission Viejo. She is currently the elementary teaching assistant principal at Ole Hanson School in San Clemente.