The San Marino Unified School District has appointed Mary Hazlett as the interim principal of Huntington Middle School. Additionally, the district welcomes Michelle Cota as the interim assistant principal of the middle school.
These experienced educators bring a wealth of knowledge and a proven track record of success to their new roles, the district said in a statement.
Hazlett’s promotion to the position of interim principal is a testament to her dedication and exceptional performance as the assistant principal under the esteemed leadership of Daryl Topalian for the past two years.
“Her ability to effectively collaborate with staff, engage students and build a positive school culture has earned her the respect and admiration of the school community,” SMUSD stated, noting that during her time as assistant principal, Hazlett played a crucial role in implementing educational initiatives, overseeing student activities including outdoor education, improving student achievement and fostering a safe and inclusive learning environment at HMS.
“Her strong leadership skills, coupled with her deep understanding of the school’s unique challenges and strengths, make her the ideal candidate to lead the school forward during this transitional period,” the district added.
Hazlett’s numerous accomplishments include a record number of outdoor science education participants this past year, elevating the school’s social media presence, effectively managing the school’s emergency management systems, promoting the success of all students, employees and programs, and responding to diverse community needs and interests.
Joining Hazlett is Cota, who will serve as the interim assistant principal at HMS for the 2023-2024 school year. Cota brings a wealth of teaching and leadership experience to her new role.
She has been an integral part of the SMUSD community since 2015, serving as an English teacher and co-department chair at San Marino High School.
Prior to joining the SMHS team, she was an ICEF charter school Cadre Leader and English Department Chair at the Frederick Douglass Academy High School. There, she was responsible for overseeing all English language arts faculty across all campuses, planning and leading meetings, facilitating professional development, and conducting classroom observations and evaluations.
Cota’s academic background is foundational in preparation for this new role. She holds a bachelor’s degree in drama and education and earned her single-subject teaching credential from UC Irvine. She recently earned her preliminary administrative credential. Her extensive experience in curriculum development, instructional strategies and student support will greatly benefit the HMS students, staff and families, the district said.
Superintendent Linda de la Torre expressed her confidence in the new interim leadership team, stating, “We are excited to have Ms. Hazlett and Ms. Cota step into their new roles at Huntington Middle School. Their proven dedication to educational excellence, commitment to student success and collaborative leadership style make them the perfect fit for this transitional period. We look forward to their positive impact on the school community.”
School Board President Shelley Ryan said, “Providing continuity in leadership during times of change is very important to the Board of Education. Ms. Hazlett and Ms. Cota both have the right combination of skills, experience, credentials, and institutional knowledge that will provide stability in moving the school forward over the next year and give us the time that we need to conduct an exhaustive search for a permanent principal commencing with the 2024-2025 school year.”
At the San Marino School Board of Education meeting on June 26, de la Torre gave context to Topalian’s departure, explaining that he accepted a job as a director of student services at Temple City Unified School District.
“This was his dream job. He aspired to be in this position. Unfortunately, we did not have a similar position in San Marino,” de la Torre said. “He came from Temple City, so for him, it’s like going home. He loves Huntington Middle School, he loves this community. He was so sad to come in and announce this to me. He has done a beautiful job for us and I want to extend my deepest gratitude to him.”
De la Torre said the district will soon address the vacancy at SMHS left by former Principal Jason Kurtenbach, who has taken a position in his hometown at Redondo Beach Unified School District.
“Mr. Kurtenbach has been commuting for a decade and it has been quite a commute. … He’s accomplished a lot for us over the past several years at San Marino High School,” she said. “Jason has really helped us move the needle forward at SMHS.”
Among his accomplishments, Kurtenbach worked to open access to advanced placement courses, took a deep dive into research for a high-performing high school, was instrumental in moving toward a block schedule for next year and worked hard to implement the Medical Arts Academy, de la Torre said.
“Leading us through the pandemic was a huge burden for a principal to lead an entire faculty through transitioning from in-person education to virtual learning and he did that and he did it seamlessly and effortlessly. I feel like the high school emerged stronger for having that experience and more adaptable so I applaud him for that and all the other things he has done to help us really move the high school forward,” she said.
—Kennedy Zak contributed to this report.
