CORONA DEL MAR TODAY

Harbor View’s New Principal Takes the Reins

Harbor View Elementary School’s new principal began work this week, greeting students at Flag Deck and in classrooms and attending his first meeting of the Parent Faculty Organization.

Todd Schmidt replaced former principal Charlene Metoyer, who retired in August to take care of her sick father. Former Andersen Elementary School principal Mary Manos has been serving as interim principal. Schmidt had been assistant principal at Costa Mesa High School. He and Manos both have been working at the school this week.

Cynthia Dickinson, co-president of the PFO, presented Schmidt with a Viking helmet at today’s meeting, welcoming him to the school with the mascot’s hat.

“I feel stronger already,” Schmidt said when he put it on.

He also said he was honored to be the school’s principal and had enjoyed spending time in each classroom.

“The kids have been great,” he said. “They have lots of questions.”

He also discussed the school’s API test scores, which were unchanged from last year; read our story here.

Schmidt also agreed to be drenched in Gatorade if students reached their goal of raising $45,000; read about last year’s principal drenching here.

Read our earlier stories about the school’s principals here, here, here and here, here.