SIMI VALLEY : Principals Reassigned Due to Retirements

Two veteran Simi Valley principals will be reassigned next year to lead the district’s largest elementary schools as part of a shake-up among administrators, officials said Thursday.

The changes were prompted by the retirements of two principals--Charles F. Bock at Berylwood elementary and Sheila Robbins at Vista Fundamental School--and the decision by Hillside Junior High Principal James Stevenson to return to teaching.

Assistant Supt. Susan Parks said Stevenson asked to teach special-education students at Royal High School after serving for several years as junior high principal--a position made more difficult by recent budget cuts that eliminated one assistant principal at the junior high level.

“It’s a very, very demanding job and sometimes you just need a break from administration,” she said.

To fill the vacant positions, district officials on Thursday named Ronda Oster principal of Berylwood, the district’s largest elementary school, with 850 students. Oster is currently principal at Crestview School.

Barbara Marino, now principal of Township elementary, was named principal of Vista elementary school, the district’s second-largest elementary campus.

Terry Webb, assistant principal at Sequoia Junior High, will take over Hillside Junior High.

Other appointments include: Dee Pekrul as principal of Township elementary, Mary Aguilar as principal of Crestview elementary and Ann Eklund as principal of White Oak elementary.