Three Hart School District teachers have been promoted to assistant principal positions and one junior high principal has been promoted to a high school assignment. Three additional assistant principals have been assigned to different schools. All new positions are in place for the start of the school year on August 16th.

All three promoted teachers hold their administrative credentials and have been leaders on their campuses. Jennifer Huhn, Courtney (Carr) Iacenda and Audrey Asplund are all looking forward to their new assignments, as is Thomas Flores, who is moving from administration at a junior high to high school. Current assistant principals Barbara Irwin, Jason d’Autremont and Eran Zeevi have accepted positions at different schools in the District.

Jennifer Huhn has been assigned to Hart High School and has previously taught at several schools in the Hart District since 1999, most recently at Golden Valley High School where she served as a special education teacher. Huhn holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Cal State Northridge, a master’s degree in special education from National University and an administrative credential from National University. Ms. Huhn was named the Golden Valley Teacher of the Year and 2009/10 District Teacher of the Year and has held leadership positions including Safe Schools Family Group Leader, professional development coach / presenter and WASC coordinator. “I’m thrilled to be serving Hart High School as an assistant principal,” Huhn said. “Hart is an outstanding school and I’m excited to be part of it.”

Courtney (Carr) Iacenda has been assigned to Sierra Vista Junior High and has previously taught health at Golden Valley High School since 2005. Mrs. Iacenda was the physical education and health department chair. She holds a bachelor’s degree in health education from Cal State Northridge, and a master’s degree in educational management and administrative credential from University of La Verne. Mrs. Iacenda holds supplemental authorization in mathematics. She has served in various leadership capacities including member of curriculum council, intervention coordinator, master teacher for credential students, career explorations team member, focus group leader for WASC and safety team member. Mrs. Iacenda was the head softball coach from 2004-09. “I am honored and privileged to be selected as the next assistant principal of Sierra Vista Junior High,” Iacenda said. “I look forward to the opportunity to work with Sierra Vista’s remarkable staff, students and families.”

Audrey Asplund has been assigned to West Ranch High School and has previously taught history at Rio Norte Junior High School and special education at La Mesa Junior High School. Mrs. Asplund began her teaching career at Pacoima Middle School in 1989. She holds a bachelor’s degree in history and master’s degree of education from UCLA and a master’s in educational administration and administrative credential from Cal State Northridge. Mrs. Asplund was named the Teacher of the Year at Rio Norte Junior High in 2007/08 and has served in various leadership capacities including history department chair, diversity training and awareness coordinator, professional development coach and benchmark development team member.  “I’m very honored to be joining the exceptional West Ranch team,” Asplund said. “I’m looking forward to working with the Wildcat staff and students.”

Thomas Flores has been promoted from Sierra Vista Junior High assistant principal to Golden Valley High School assistant principal. Flores began his career in education in the Fullerton School District in 1992, joining the Saugus School District as a teacher and department chair from 1999-2001, then joining the Hart School District as a English as a second language (ELL) and English teacher at Placerita Junior High from 2001-2006. He has served as assistant principal of Sierra Vista Junior High School since 2006. Mr. Flores holds a bachelor’s degree in child development from Cal State Los Angeles and a master’s of education from University of LaVerne. Mr. Flores’ leadership roles have included serving as GATE coordinator, member of the diversity committee, staff development trainer, literacy team member and intervention administrator. Mr. Flores was selected as Placerita Junior High’s Teacher of the Year in 2005/06. “Going to a high school is a new chapter of my professional career and I’m very excited to start that chapter at Golden Valley High School,” Flores said.

Barbara Irwin’s childhood family spent seven years of her preschool and elementary school years in Concepción, Chile, where she learned Spanish as well as English.  She finished high school in Germany as an exchange student learning German, and majored in secondary education in college. She entered the Hart District as a Spanish teacher and the teacher/coordinator for ELD (English Language Development) at Valencia High School.  After completing her administrative credential she was named administrator for ELD and has been working with all the Hart District schools supporting the ELD program. Her new position at La Mesa Junior High follows two years of supporting all the junior highs in their administrative needs, as well as continuing to support ELD teachers and administrators throughout the district. “I am really pleased to be joining the talented La Mesa staff,  meeting new students and parents, and discovering ways that my expertise might be put to use!” Irwin said.  “It is tremendously exciting.”

Jason d’Autremont is returning to Canyon High School as an assistant principal, where he began his career in the Hart School District as an assistant coach for basketball in 1999. He coached until he accepted a teaching position at Hart High School in 2003. Mr. d’Autremont taught algebra at Hart High, until he was promoted to assistant principal at Hart in 2009. Additionally, he coached varsity football at Hart from 2002 – 2008. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration – management and special education credential from Cal State Northridge, as well as an administrative credential. “I am excited for the opportunity to go to Canyon High School and work with the wonderful staff and dedicated students,” d’Autremont said.  “I will miss Hart High School and the last 10 years there, which were exciting and full of lifelong relationships.”

Eran Zeevi has been serving as an administrator in the Hart School District for six years, the past four as an assistant principal at Golden Valley High School.  He is the new assistant principal at Bowman High School. Prior to that, he was the administrator at Redview Prep which he transformed into Sequoia Charter School for the district. Previous educational experiences include being a school psychologist for eight years for the San Gabriel Unified School District and teaching 6th grade at a private school in the San Fernando Valley. Mr. Zeevi received a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s in counseling with an emphasis in school psychology and a master’s in educational administration from Cal State Northridge. He believes people come first, and looks forward to collaborating with students, parents and staff throughout the school year at Bowman. “I truly valued my time at Golden Valley and know that the Grizzlies are going places,” Zeevi said. “Golden Valley is a place of high expectations, building relationships, rigorous teaching, and making sure every student counts. I’m looking forward to bringing the same philosophies to my position at Bowman.”

The district’s Governing Board approved the appointments at its June 6 and June 20 meetings, and the new positions became effective in July.