By Dana Williams
The news came just a day after board members announced at their monthly business meeting that, due to a private matter, Principal Thomas Lee would not be at his post when the 2008-09 school year begins. "The duration of his absence is undetermined at this time," district Superintendent John Hogan said in a statement released to district residents. "Due to this, and in the interest of continuity, Mr. Alvaro Escobar has been appointed by the Board of Education to serve as acting principal."
In addition to his duties as assistant principal, Escobar has also served as the district's athletic director.
"The Board of Education, along with district administration, teachers and professional staff, are deeply committed to the continued academic growth of all our students," Hogan said. "We have every confidence that under the leadership of Mr. Escobar, we will continue to fulfill our mission ..."
At its business meeting last month, the school board approved a stricter version of the high school's open-campus lunch policy. The open-lunch privilege - which allows seniors to leave campus in a car or on foot - now requires the students to obtain written parental permission, and will soon call for them to meet academic, behavioral and community service requirements before they can leave for lunch. The policy specifics, school officials said, will be announced at a later date.
