Embattled Santa Ynez principal gets San Marcos job

BY COLBY FRAZIER
DAILY SOUND STAFF WRITER

Santa Barbara School District’s Superintendent Brian Sarvis announced last night that Norm Clevenger, the embattled former Santa Ynez Union High School principal, will take the helm at San Marcos High at the end of this year. Clevenger will replace retiring principal Craig Morgan.
“Norm is an outstanding leader with the highest credentials,” Sarvis said. “Norm is popular among staff, students and parents who report that his leadership was responsible for elevating Santa Ynez High School to the highest performing high school in the county.”


Clevenger has been at the center of controversy in the Santa Ynez Valley since February when Santa Ynez Valley Union high school district Superintendent Fred Van Leuven placed Clevenger on paid administrative leave.
According to a March 12 Santa Maria Times story, Van Leuven told district officials in a Feb. 19 e-mail that his reasons for getting rid of Clevenger were, “between Norm and me and I can not discuss this personnel matter.”
During a March board meeting, all five members of the district’s board of trustees were served with recall notices after announcing they had decided in closed session to not extend Clevenger’s contract.
Clevenger was the principal at Santa Ynez for nine years. Prior to that, he was the principal at Monterey High School. He has a bachelor’s degree from U.C. Berkeley and a master’s degree from the United States International University, a statement from the Santa Barbara School Districts said.
His annual salary at San Marcos will be between $113,074 and $125,847. Clevenger will take over at the high school on July 1.