MURRIETA – Murrieta Valley High School Principal Renate Jefferson announced to her staff on Monday, March 4, that she will retire at the end of the current school year. Jefferson has spent 30 years as an educator. She came to the district in 1991 as a high school English teacher and went on to serve as the district’s Child Welfare and Attendance Coordinator, Assistant Principal at Murrieta Valley, Assistant Principal at Creekside High School and the Adult Education Principal before taking over as Principal at Murrieta Valley High School in 2000.

District Superintendent Pat Kelley said, "Mrs. Jefferson’s positive energy and unwavering commitment to always do what is best for her students and the District will be missed. I am excited for her as she takes on what is sure to be an active and fulfilling retirement."

Jefferson said leading Murrieta Valley High School has been a great honor and privilege.

"I love the sense of community and being a part of the Nighthawk family. Each day I learned something new from staff, students and parents, and I have appreciated their tremendous work ethic, love for students, enthusiasm, creativity and dedication to excellence."

It was also announced that Vista Murrieta High School Principal Darren Daniel has been selected to serve as the district’s new Director of Secondary Education. Daniel served as Assistant Principal of Vista Murrieta when the school opened in 2003 and he was appointed Principal in 2006.

Prior to coming to the district in 2002, Daniel taught, coached and served as an Athletic Director. In his new position Daniel will be responsible for oversight of the District’s secondary instructional program at Advertisement

[ Metalography ] the district’s middle schools, high schools and Adult School program.

Superintendent Pat Kelley said, "As the district moves toward adopting the common core curriculum, Daniel will oversee staff development, curriculum development, state and federal assessments, teacher support, school staffing and secondary school site issues. Mr. Daniel helped establish and maintain a world CLASS educational experience for the students at Vista Murrieta and with his knowledge, administrative experience, leadership and organizational skills, I am confident that he will ensure that the district continues to offer a premier 21st century educational experience for all our secondary students."

Darren said serving the Vista Murrieta community as principal has been more of a lifestyle for him than a career.

"The school, the staff, the kids and parents make VMHS a special place and although my departure in July will be bittersweet, I am excited and honored to be granted this new opportunity to influence and support the secondary schools within the Murrieta Valley Unified School District."

The position of the district’s Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Char Gollogly, will be restructured to provide oversight for the district’s elementary instructional program when Gollogly and Daniel will assume their new positions on July 1, 2013.

The district will conduct an inclusive process for the selection of the new principals for Murrieta Valley and Vista Murrieta High Schools. Parents, students, faculty and staff are invited to provide their input on the selection of the new principals by going to the schools’ websites and completing a Principal Selection Survey. Focus groups comprised of parents, faculty and staff will then analyze the results of the surveys and provide their input.