Mountain View High Gets New Assistant Principals

Written L.A. Chung

Two new assistant principals were appointed by the Mountain View Los Altos Board of Trustees Monday night, according to Superintendant Barry Groves.

William Blair and Lynne Ewald will be assistant principals at Mountain View High School (MVHS) beginning in the 2013-2014 school year, Groves said. Blair and Dawson will join Dave Grissom, recently appointed as the new principal, as part of the MVHS administrative team that includes assistant principal Mike Mathiesen.

Blair and Ewald will replace Donna Peltz and Sharon Chrisman, who retired at the end of the 2013 school year, after many years of service. 

Blair has been a teacher of leadership, broadcast journalism, newspaper and English at MVHS for nine years. He was named Mountain View Los Altos Teacher of the Year Award in 2009-2010 for his outstanding teaching and work with several student groups, including the Iwata Japanese Exchange Program, Associated Student Body (ASB), Camp Everytown and the Link Crew.   

"He brings an unbridled enthusiasm for kids and a passion for learning," Groves said in a written statement. "As his ASB kids told me, he is going to be an AWESOME administrator.”  

Blair holds a bachelor's degree in English and Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University and his teaching credential from the University of San Diego.  

Ewald comes from Santa Clara High School, where new principal Dave Grissom served for six years as the top administrator, and describes her as "the hardest-working administrator that I have ever worked with."

Ewald has served as assistant principal of Santa Clara High School since 2001, where she had responsibilities for curriculum, master schedule, student activities and special programs. She has also received praise for her work as a science teacher working with all levels of biology and physics, according to Groves.  

Prior to coming to California, Ewald taught in Georgia and has an undergraduate degree from Florida State University and her master’s degree in Educational Administration from California State University, San Jose.   

"She will be a wonderful addition to the MVHS staff and I look forward to working with her again,” Dave Grissom said, in the statement.

Outgoing assistant principal Peltz will serve as a consultant to the district to help with the transition.