Laguna Blanca School has selected Paul Slocombe of The Bishop’s School in La Jolla to serve as interim headmaster beginning July 1.

Slocombe has more than 30 years of teaching and administrative experience in public and private high schools in both England and the United States. He has held his current position of assistant headmaster for academic programs at The Bishop’s School since 2003. Before that, he was Science Department chairman at the Windward School in Los Angeles from 1996 to 2003. Prior to coming to the United States, he served as dean of faculty of the Upper School at Cranford Community School, which was nationally recognized for leading educational change in the United Kingdom. From Cranford, Slocombe moved to Northgate High School as assistant headmaster and director of studies, a position he held for six years.

Slocombe graduated from the University of Warwick, England, earning a bachelor of education honors degree with a double major in chemistry and educational psychology. He received a Department of Education and Science UK Teaching Credential and then completed a master of science degree in chemistry and science education. Slocombe studied in the United States as a Fulbright Scholar, which ultimately led him to come to this country as an educator.

Slocombe will succeed current Laguna Blanca Headmaster Doug Jessup, who recently resigned from the K-12 college prep day school. A permanent new headmaster is expected to be hired later this calendar year to join Laguna Blanca in the fall of 2010.

— Tara Broucqsault is Laguna Blanca School’s public relations director.