Alya Mehrtash staff writer
The BHUSD Board of Education approved the appointment of a new vice principal at Beverly on May 14. Dr. Jill Hunt will be replacing Jeanne McCrea in the 2019-20 school year as McCrea transfers to Beverly Vista Middle School. Hunt will officially begin working in the district starting in July.
According to a statement by the board, Hunt brings “18 years of practice in secondary education with a remarkable background in special education and leadership.” Among other accomplishments, she received a Doctorate in Education and a Masters of Education in Secondary Education from the University of California Los Angeles. She is currently employed at the Centinela Valley Union High School District.
“It is important to note her impressive experiences at both the school site and district level, enabling her ability to balance the vast responsibilities required of a high school assistant principal,” Superintendent Dr. Michael Bregy said in a district-released statement.
Principal Mark Mead was also impressed with Hunt’s qualifications and feels that her experience in the field will be very beneficial for the district.
“Without a doubt she has, on paper, a resume that is very much beyond what we could have hoped for in terms of student services…She has a district level knowledge, she has a high school level knowledge, she’s an English teacher so she’s been in the classroom…It’s hard to be an administrator if you’re never in a classroom,” Mead said. “She has the package and 18 years of experience; a very specific skill set, followed by a broad skill set in education, so on paper it’s remarkable and when you meet her you’ll find that she has a very calm, even-keeled demeanor.”
To Hunt, her 18 years of experience have prepared her for her new job in the district. She commented on the new appointment, saying that she felt “honored” to be chosen by the district as the new vice principal.
“I enthusiastically embrace the Beverly Hills Unified School District mission: to inspire and enable each student to achieve academic excellence and meet the goals of college and career readiness,” she said in a statement released by the district. “My 18 years of secondary experience have prepared me to work collaboratively with the Beverly Hills High School community to help all students achieve their educational goals. I look forward to being part of a team that will continue to support the longstanding tradition of success within BHUSD.”
Mead hopes that McCrea’s work will be continued by Hunt when she takes her job in the upcoming school year.
“Certainly I would like to see her continue the great work that Jeanne McCrea has done. We love Ms. McCrea to death and we will miss her dearly,” Mead said. “[Hunt] has a skill set that is perfectly suited to step into that role…We’re feeling very fortunate to have someone of her caliber of qualifications coming to our school.”