Santa Barbara District Hires Three New Admins, Two from Within District

The Santa Barbara Unified School District approved the hiring of three administrators, with two coming from within the district and the third an outside “veteran educational leader,” according to a statement from the district last week.

Dr. Lynne Sheffield, former director of student services of Riverside County’s Moreno Valley Unified, will join as assistant superintendent of secondary; Dare Holdren, former assistant principal at Dos Pueblos High School, has been promoted to principal of San Marcos High School; and Daniel Dupont, former assistant principal of Santa Barbara High School, will take over as principal of Santa Barbara Junior High.

“Lynne will bring new ideas and a commitment to work with teachers and leaders so that every child thrives,” said district Superintendent Hilda Maldonado in a press release. “While Dare and Daniel are both moving from assistant principal positions here at Santa Barbara Unified and take over schools that will succeed under their leadership.”

Sheffield spent many years in different administrative roles across several districts in California, including as director of student services at Moreno Valley Unified District, and as a principal of three different high schools. She has also spent time as an assistant principal, a teacher, and an adjunct professor at three different universities.

Sheffield said she saw the district’s commitment to equity and inclusion through observing board meetings and the State of Our School addresses. “It was very inspiring to see student involvement in the process and the ‘student voice’ at work,” she said.

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