San Benito High School will soon be under the leadership of a brand-new principal, Todd Dearden, who is moving two and a half hours from his current home in Sonora to take the position in Hollister.
The board of trustees’ decision was unanimous to approve the new principal Wednesday at the regularly scheduled school board meeting.
“He was the number one choice,” said San Benito High School District Superintendent John Perales.
The principal position opened this spring after the current school leader, Krystal Lomanto, chose to run for county superintendent. Her name is the only one on the ballot for the position in the June 3 election – meaning that barring extraordinary circumstances, she’ll get the job.
The transition will begin this summer, as Dearden’s term starts July 1.
“After all the background that we looked at, his biggest gift would be working with students,” Perales said. “Every one of his colleagues, every one of the folks he put down as a reference, all said he is just such a magnet for students. He cares deeply. He’s deeply involved in student efforts.”
Dearden has spent about 10 years as a principal and guided schools with “much success, especially during hard times when education was being cut and under funded,” Perales said.
In January, Dearden gave up his position as principal of Sonora High School to move to the district office as the director of special projects and programs – a job that entails overseeing the school’s bond project. Just four months later, he accepted a position as principal of San Benito High School for next school year. Dearden could not be reached immediately to comment on the hiring.
“He talked about how he thought about moving on in his career and taking that next step to the district office and he was very honest with us … He said, ‘I love being a principal and I love being around the kids,’” Perales said.
Perales was informed of a well-publicized matter involving Dearden breaking up a school fight at Sonora High School. According to a Union-Democrat newspaper report on the matter, a parent alleged that Dearden struck his son in the face while breaking up the fight.
Perales said he was familiar with the case.
“We saw that and actually … it’s something that if you read the article, it explains he was trying to break up a fight between students and accidentally – I don’t what you’d call it – I guess he hit another one of the kids,” said Perales.
Staff did a “very, very strong background check” and concluded he was still a good match for the job and by far was the “number one choice” in a large applicant pool that involved at least 10 candidates.
In his new position, Dearden will take the place of a principal who is already well regarded by the community and gets hugs and high-fives from students in the halls.
“He has big shoes to fill. Mrs. Lomanto is very well liked,” Perales said.
As Lomanto prepares to move to the county office, she will be saying goodbye to the high school where she has spent more than 24 years as a teacher and administrator. It’s also the place where she attended high school, where her parents were high school sweethearts and where she met her husband.
“She can’t go anywhere in Hollister without knowing a person or being recognized,” Perales said.
