Bonny Doon hires new principal

The Bonny Doon Elementary School District has found a replacement for much-loved Principal and Superintendent Gail Levine, who retired this year amid health concerns.
In a unanimous vote by the board of trustees on May 18, the district hired Aromas Elementary School Principal Stephanie Siddens as its new principal and superintendent.
“She’s very passionate about being here,” said Lisa Palm, board president. “In our district, we love for people to love being here.”
Siddens, who lives in Aptos, was principal of Aromas Elementary for the past four years.
It was her experience in teacher training and staff development that attracted the board and helped her beat out 43 other applicants.
“She has a very good, positive spirit about her,” Palm said.
Siddens, a graduate of Harbor High, Cabrillo College and San Jose State University, taught in the Soquel Elementary School District for 15 years before becoming a supervisor of teacher education at the University of California, Santa Cruz. After that she became the principal in Aromas.
Bonny Doon Elementary has about 120 students and the principal serves as the primary administrator for the district.
The school maintained its entire teaching staff this year and will look to Siddens to use her staff training experience to continue improving the school’s academics.
Levine retired at the end of the school year citing health concerns and had unexpected, double-bypass heart surgery last week, Palm said. Levine is recovering well at her home in Felton and will help Siddens with the transition into the position.
Siddens, who started work Wednesday, July 1, could not be contacted by Press-Banner press time.