Laguna schools administrator to leave job

A Laguna Beach Unified School District administrator will leave his post in January to take a job with the Orange County Department of Education.

Dean West, the district’s assistant superintendent of business services, will be the county department’s associate superintendent of business services, according to a Laguna Beach Unified news release.

West, who joined Laguna Beach Unified six years ago as director of fiscal services, will fill the void left by Wendy Benkert’s retirement.

Benkert is retiring after 27 years with the county, Department of Education spokesman Ian Hanigan wrote in an email.

West, who said he heard about Benkert’s retirement in November and applied for the job, called Laguna Beach Unified a “great place to work.”

“I’d never thought I’d leave,” West said in a phone interview. “[But] a great opportunity opened up. I think I can do even more and help more people. Our business is service. We serve the public.”

West was promoted to assistant superintendent in 2012. In that role, he supervised nutrition services, risk management and facilities, leading the development of a 10-year facilities master plan, the release said.

“His budgets are clear, concise and informative,” district board President Jan Vickers said in the release. “I can count on accuracy and full disclosure knowing the whole financial picture. In all the programs he oversees, LBUSD has shown growth, and his leadership is recognized and greatly appreciated.”

In his new role, West will oversee a department that provides technical, advisory and management support for 27 Orange County school districts, four regional occupational programs and agencies related to financial accounts and budgets, taxes, vendor payment audits and other matters, the release said.

West previously was an independent consultant and auditor to school districts and served in business services roles in the West Covina and San Marino school districts.

The Laguna Beach Unified board will consider appointing an interim assistant superintendent at its Jan. 10 meeting, which will be West’s last meeting. He starts his new job Jan. 11.