Lomanto now leads her alma mater
Watching her animated exchanges with the student throngs at San
Benito High School it’s clear that Krystal Lomanto loves teenagers
and enjoys working with them.
Lomanto now leads her alma mater
Watching her animated exchanges with the student throngs at San Benito High School it’s clear that Krystal Lomanto loves teenagers and enjoys working with them.
But when it came to making the decision to accept a job she’s dreamed about since she was a student at San Benito High Lomanto did not rush.
Though she is a graduate of San Benito High and a 15-year veteran faculty member, she is also a wife and a mother. Accepting the principal’s job on a campus with nearly 3,000 students and some 150 faculty would mean juggling an already-packed schedule.
“Making the decision wasn’t so easy,” Lomanto said. “The fact that I’m a mother is a huge priority. The position of principal is a time intensive position, so we had to sit down as a family and weigh the pros and cons. My oldest son [entering high school] supported my decision. He thought it was pretty cool, but my younger son was a little apprehensive. But in talking about it, he came around and after a while he was supportive. Both of my sons are very proud.”
San Benito High School Trustee Mary Encinias first met Lomanto when she was a student and a player on the Baler softball team. Encinias was elected to the board of trustees in 2006, shortly after she retired as a teacher from San Benito High School.
“When I was first hired I also coached the softball team,” Encinias said. “Krystal would always help me and she would get things going. She knew exactly what she wanted. When she was at the high school she would tell me: ‘This is my town Mrs. Encinias and when I graduate college I’m gonna come back here and be a science teacher and later a principal and maybe even a superintendent.'”
Encinias also taught with Lomanto during the 11 years Lomanto taught at San Benito High.
“She really has a sense of ownership,” Encinias said. “This is her town, her community and she loves these kids. Who else could fill those shoes?”
Encinias described Lomanto as energetic and full of life. She has a respect for the students and the teachers and treats them all equally, Encinias said.
“I got several calls from teachers yesterday saying it was the best opening [day] in years,” Encinias said. “They’re actually excited to be there. There’s a transformation. She’s determined and fair and very strong. I think that she took the job because the school means so much to her. I’m just so happy to see her there. If anybody can put the high school back in its place, it’s her. She’s No. 1 in my book.”
Lomanto said she understands that she has her work cut out for her. The reputation of San Benito High School has lost much of the luster it once had within the community.
From within the community, the biggest issue facing San Benito High School seems to be stability. However, from within the school Lomanto hears that people are concerned with the size of the school and meeting the needs of all the students.
“I think it will be a challenge getting everyone back on the same page,” Lomanto said. “But everybody is working together. I’m a leader, but everyone has his or her strengths. I talked with staff about goals and I’m looking forward to working with everyone to achieve success.”
Another administrator who was a teacher when Lomanto went through San Benito High School is Evelyn Muro. Muro is currently the superintendent/principal at Spring Grove School. She is also a San Benito High School Trustee. Coincideentally, Lomanto is the president of the board of trustees at Spring Grove.
“Krystal was a student when I first started at the high school,” Muro said. “After she got her credential she came home [to Hollister]. It was just before she got married. I ended up hiring her as a teacher at the high school. I’m excited to have her in the position. She’s a wonderful leader. One of the things I remember is that when I would observe her classroom she was always so clear and direct in communicating with students. She would work equally well with migrant students as she would regular ed students. She could direct and inspire.”
One of the biggest challenges might be that Lomanto is new to the position of principal. She has been an assistant principal for four years, but this is her first principal’s position. Still, she is not worried. She plans to take things day by day, she said.
San Benito High School Superintendent Stan Rose said he feels good about Lomanto’s decision to take the position because she has a lot to contribute.
“[Lomanto] brings a lot to the position,” Rose said. “She has a confident knowledge and possesses leadership qualities you can’t buy; they must be instilled. She has an eye for the direction that the school needs to go.”
There are two types of principals, according to Rose. The first type is a leader and the other type is a manager. A manager makes sure that the school stays the course, but a leader moves the school forward. Rose believes that Lomanto will definitely move the school forward.
“[Lomanto] is a Baler grad,” Rose said. “She has a life commitment to this school and she loves these kids. That’s important to me.”
Lomanto makes her expectations clear, according to Muro. She sets high standards and supports them.
“I’m a big believer in growing your own,” Muro said. “So it’s nice to see somebody who has been with the high school take over as principal.”
