Harbor View Elementary School gets its new chief

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District announced Friday the appointment of Todd Schmidt as principal of Harbor View Elementary School.

Schmidt, Costa Mesa High School’s assistant principal, will replace Charlene Metoyer who retired at the end of the summer. It hasn’t yet been decided when Schmidt will move to Harbor View, he said.

The move to Harbor View was a “no-brainer” with the excellent reputation of its students, teachers and parents, Schmidt said.

“I’ve been so excited about this opportunity,” he added Friday afternoon. “Harbor View is an amazing school.”

The Board of Education is expected to officially appoint Schmidt at Tuesday’s meeting.

“Todd is an experienced administrator who always displays strong energy, exceptional honesty and a clear understanding of the teaching and educational process,” Mesa Principal Phil D’Agostino said in a prepared statement. “It is my opinion that his experiences make him ready to lead his own school as principal.”

Schmidt was appointed Mesa’s assistant principal in 2010. He has served as an educator for the last 15 years, teaching at every level from fourth to 12th grade. He also taught fourth and fifth grade in Taiwan for two years.

With his experience working at the middle and high school level, Schmidt said he hopes to be able to bridge the gap between elementary and secondary education and help students build a foundation for what’s coming next.

“I see where these kids are going to be going,” he said.

Former Andersen Elementary School Principal Mary Manos served as interim principal at Harbor View.

The district will begin the search process for Schmidt’s replacement immediately.

Britney.barnes@latimes.com

Twitter: @britneyjbarnes