San Benito High School Principal Karen Schroder resigned as the
leader of the county’s largest school and will become coordinator
of Alternative Education Programs with the SBHS District effective
at the end of the school year.
San Benito High School Principal Karen Schroder resigned as the leader of the county’s largest school and will become coordinator of Alternative Education Programs with the SBHS District effective at the end of the school year.
Schroder, who has spent 27 years with the district, has been principal for the past three years. Current Vice Principal of Student Services Duane Morgan will take over as interim principal for one year next year.
“I resigned from the principal’s position to assume a position where I felt that I could continue to bring the best possible education and career opportunities to all students,” Schroder said.
Schroder’s move will parallel a reorganization of the district that new Superintendent Jean Burns Slater has proposed. Slater has considered the reorganization for a while and let Schroder know about her intentions to develop a coordinator of Alternative Education Programs months ago. This is the first time the district would have this type of a position, Slater said, and Schroder was interested in the new position.
“As a district, I feel that we have provided a solid education for all students. However, we could increase the range of educational options for all students,” Schroder said.
Slater said Morgan’s current responsibilities most closely matched those of the newly organized principal, so she requested Morgan take over the position for one year. Slater said she did not want to go outside of the district for the interim position.
Morgan has been vice principal for two years and worked in the Attendance and Discipline Office before that. He was dean of discipline at San Jose school for four years, taught for 18 years and spent 15 years coaching, he said. Some of Morgan’s strengths include being well organized and listening to people, he said.
“I’ve had a really good mentor in Karen Schroder. She has taught me a lot,” Morgan said.
In working with Schroder, Morgan said she’s brought a lot to the school as principal, including more academia, raising the awareness of minorities and recruiting them into advanced-level classes and helping the staff grow.
“She knows the school in and out and cares deeply about the school,” Morgan said.
In her 27 years with the district, Schroder has served as director of student services, vice principal of discipline, director of special education and director of grants and projects.
Slater said the new position is a good fit for Schroder.
“Karen has always been concerned about students who are not on the normal career pathway,” Slater said.
