Four principals are leaving Santa Barbara Unified School District (SBUSD), and the search for replacements is underway. District leadership is meeting with each campus before holding candidate interviews.
Supt. Hilda Maldonado offered the district’s gratitude for the departing educators.
”We appreciate the time and effort these leaders have invested in our schools,” she said. “Managing a school campus is a complex responsibility, and we thank them for their service to our students and staff during their respective tenures.
“As they move on to their next chapters, our focus is now on ensuring a smooth leadership transition for these four communities.”
The principals who are leaving include:
Veronica Binkley of Harding University Partnership School retires after 12 years at Harding. Under her leadership, Harding achieved test score growth; authorization as an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School; and strengthened its partnership with UCSB.
Suzette McCormick of Santa Barbara Community Academy (SBCA) is retiring after four years of leadership at SBCA. As principal, she championed a close-knit community culture. McCormick is credited with fostering deep engagement with families.
Brian Naughton of Monroe Elementary left Monroe in February for a new role in the Santa Barbara area. He served the Monroe community for the last decade.
Naughton’s interim replacement is Kimberly Sheriff Brown, who previously served as assistant principal at Washington Elementary.
Dan Dupont of Santa Barbara Junior High (SBJH) has served as the principal there the past four years. Previously, he spent three years as an assistant principal at Santa Barbara High School. During his tenure at SBJH, Dupont oversaw the addition of a Folklorico Dance program, and SBJH’s 90th anniversary celebration.
Binkley, McCormick and Dupont will lead their campuses through the last day of the 2025-26 school year. The district said its goal is to have all four new permanent principals in place by July 1, ensuring a smooth transition for the upcoming academic year.