1 New Principals Will Take Up Posts

Ten new principals will open the doors to Seattle public schools on the first day of classes, Sept. 8.

Several Seattle principals took advantage of an early retirement offer for state employees this summer, resulting in the largest number of principal replacements in a few decades.

All but two of the new principals previously held other jobs in the district.

The new principals are:

Rainier Beach High School: Marta Cano-Hinz was assistant principal at Chief Sealth, Ballard and, most recently, Roosevelt High School. She also taught at both the middle-school and university levels.

Roosevelt High School: Marilyn Day was assistant principal at Garfield High School. Day also has taught primary school and college, and specialized in working with special-needs students.

West Seattle High School: James McConnell was principal of Franklin High School from 1983 to 1992. He has also served as director of special programs and has directed the state and federally funded magnet-school programs for Seattle schools.

Blaine Elementary: Kathryn Bledsoe helped design and put in place the district's strategic plan. Bledsoe also was an elementary-school principal and vice principal in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Concord Elementary: Claudia Allan was head teacher at Broadview/Thomson Elementary in Seattle. She has also worked at Viewlands Elementary.

Cooper Elementary: Principal Sharon Aune comes from the

Sedro-Woolley School District, where she served as an assistant principal and director of elementary special education. Aune was also an elementary special-programs coordinator and teacher in the Tumwater School District.

Emerson Elementary: Gloria Warren was assistant principal last year at Madrona Elementary and was involved with the school's Proficiency in English Program.

Gatewood Elementary: Daniel Barton was previously principal at two elementary schools in California and also has taught history and government.

Leschi Elementary: Patricia Newton has been an acting assistant principal, fourth-grade teacher, parent-instruction coordinator and elementary vocal music teacher since joining the district in 1985.

Denny Middle School: Pat Batiste-Brown was interim principal at Denny last year. She has also been an acting vice principal and assistant principal at Whitman Middle School.