After serving for just over a year, Principal Brandon Gallagher announced his resignation from his position at Malibu High School.
Gallagher posted a letter addressed to parents and the community of Malibu, citing “personal life circumstances” as the reason for his resignation on July 21.
Malibu High School has not had a principal see a freshmen class through to graduation since Mark Kelly in 2012.
“The district is looking at the history and [principals leaving],” district spokesperson Gail Pinsker said. “We’re looking at opportunities for additional support to ensure that the new principal is supported and has everything necessary to be successful in that position for [the] long term.”
A letter from Co-Interim Superintendents Dr. Christopher King and Dr. Sylvia G. Rousseau addressed to parents in Malibu said the district hopes to find a permanent replacement, but may require a temporary interim principal for the start of the new school year.
“Appointing an experienced and knowledgeable permanent principal deserves careful deliberation; therefore, we do not want to make that selection hastily,” the letter stated. “Because we are on such a tight timeline between now and school opening, it is likely that the district will need to appoint an interim principal to ensure an organized school opening and operation of the school until the permanent principal is in place.”
Pinsker said the interim principal may only serve for a few weeks, as opposed to a full school year.
Dave Jackson, who served as principal before Gallagher, was an interim principal who was hired for the full 2014-15 school year.
Members of the Malibu community suggested that Malibu High School is a difficult place to work due to ongoing construction and the well-publicized PCB issue, but Jackson recalled his experience fondly.
“I thoroughly enjoyed my interim year there. There’s wonderful people there,” Jackson said. “[Malibu] parents are great; they’ll do anything if they think it’ll help their kids.”
Jackson continued to stay in touch with Gallagher in the past year and attended graduation this spring. He said he was unsure why other principals would have an experience that wasn’t as positive as his.
“Maybe it’s because I’m an old-timer and I don’t take crap from anybody,” Jackson said.
With Gallagher’s departure, the Santa Monica and Malibu Unified School District’s high schools are in a moment of flux. Santa Monica High School Principal Eva Mayoral resigned from her position in June. This is all while two interim leaders hold the superintendent position.
The letter from King and Rousseau mentioned an intention to find a permanent superintendent by January 2017. In the meantime, King and Rousseau will “leave a framework” for the second half of the year so that the new superintendent can take over “without interruption.”
As for Malibu High School, Deputy Superintendent Mark Kelly, the last principal to serve at MHS for an extended period of time, “has put in place a thorough selection process” for Gallagher’s replacement, the letter explained.
Kelly was principal at Malibu High School from 2004-12. He left the position to become director of student services.
Gallagher did not respond to multiple requests for comment.