July 31, 2007

Four new principals named in San Ramon Valley
By Eric Louie

CONTRA COSTA TIMES

The San Ramon Valley school district on Tuesday announced the naming of four new principals.

Michelle Cooper will be principal at Iron Horse Middle School in San Ramon, while Darlene Hale will be principal of John Baldwin Elementary School in Danville.

Hope Burtner will be principal of Rancho Romero Elementary School in Alamo, and Lucy Daggett will be principal of Del Amigo High School, the district's continuation high school.

Cooper comes to Iron Horse Middle School after five years as principal of Diablo View Middle School in Clayton, according to the district. She holds an administrative services credential and a masters in educational administration from Chapman University. She replaces Kirby Hoy, who opened Iron Horse in 1996, and recently was appointed as a district director of secondary education.

Hale has 26 years of experience as a kindergarten through twelfth grade classroom teacher, administrator and college professor, according to the district. She has been an elementary school principal since 2002 in the Oak Park and Conejo Valley school districts in Southern California. Hale, who has a master's degree in music education from California State University Fullerton, replaces Claudia Carbonell Bensley, who is working in the district's program for students learning English.

Burtner has spent several years as an assistant principal and administrative intern in Oakley and La Mesa in Southern California, according to the district. She replaces David Gold, who recently accepted a position in another district. Burtner received her administrative services credential and a masters in educational administration from Chapman University. She is working on a doctorate in educational leadership from St. Mary's College in Moraga.

Daggett replaces Carol Adams, who moved to another school district. Daggett has been a guidance counselor in the Pittsburgh school district for 16 years, according to the district. She has an administrative credential from California State East Bay, and a masters in counseling leadership from St. Mary's College in Moraga.