Assistant Principal to leave school next year

By Ancy Dow
Senior Writer

Assistant Principal Morenike O’Neal, who has been employed by the school since August 2007, will not be returning for the upcoming school year.
According to the district’s Certificated Personnel Administrative Assistant Amy Vargas, the school has hired Seth Leslie, former math teacher and vice principal of East Palo Alto Academy High School, to fill her position. Leslie also mentors teachers from Stanford’s Teacher Education Program and serves as a student advisor.
Two months ago, O’Neal decided to take an opportunity to become principal of an elementary school in the East Bay. She announced to the staff that she would be leaving around a month ago, despite the fact that she had initially decided to formally announce her plans to leave after all the details had been finalized.
Though O’Neal is still unsure as to which elementary school she will be working at next year, she is nevertheless “very excited” about her plans.
Prior to working at the school, O’Neal attended UC Berkeley and earned a multiple-subject teaching credential from the National Hispanic University in June 2000. She also taught students in both the Hayward Unified and Ravenswood City school districts.
During her stay at LAHS, O’Neal’s responsibilities included the administration of various counseling services, organizing pupil personnel, the coordination of special education programs and the management of programs for students in danger of not graduating.
She replaced Assistant Principal Kathleen Meagher, who left during the summer of 2007 to become a principal in the Palo Alto Unified School District. District personnel selected Leslie to replace O’Neal through a two-part interview process, in which a select few candidates were interviewed after a preliminary screening.
O’Neal’s has many fond recollections at the school she is “very sad to leave.”
“I have so many good memories,” O’Neal said. “[The school musical] ‘Beauty and the Beast’ was one of the highlights. I think seeing so many talented students at one time was definitely amazing. I also thought the dance show from last year was amazing and really liked both diversity assemblies from the two years [I have worked here].”
Those close to O’Neal have expressed sadness over her departure, and they wish her success in her future endeavors.
“It has been a great pleasure to work closely with Ms. O’Neal for the past two years,” O’Neal’s secretary Carole Isnard said. “Not only has she worked diligently with countless students and their parents, but she has been attentive and warm with the front office staff and counselors. She has involved herself thoroughly with many aspects of this fine campus and we will miss her smiling face. She is certain to move on to great things, always taking care of students, with their best interests at heart.”
O’Neal herself wishes to leave the school with some words of advice and also said that she would miss the students very much.
“Keep a very positive mental attitude and the future will take you anywhere,” O’Neal said.