Battle Ground Public Schools

BGPS announces administrative changes for the 2020-21 school year

Battle Ground Public Schools announces administrative changes for the 2020-21 school year, including principals and assistant principals. Unless otherwise noted, all changes have been approved by Battle Ground Public Schools’ Board of Directors and the administrators began their new positions July 1.

Top row, L to R: April Vonderharr, Justin Pierce, Heather Ichimura, and Gerald Gabbard. Bottom row, L to R: Krishna Smith, Matt Kesler, Jessica Drake, and Kevin Palena.

Principals
Kevin Palena is the new principal at Summit View High School, filling the position that opened up after principal Beth Beattie accepted a position at WSU-Vancouver. Palena was most recently the principal at Daybreak Middle School. 

Justin Pierce is the new principal at Daybreak Middle School, filling the position that opened when Kevin Palena accepted the principal position at Summit View High School. Pierce was most recently the assistant principal at Chief Umtuch Middle School.

Heather Ichimura is the new principal at Tukes Valley Middle School after serving as an assistant principal at Battle Ground High School. Ichimura will replace Brian Amundson, who accepted a principal position in another school district. 

Jessica Drake is the new assistant principal at Battle Ground High School, replacing Heather Ichimura. Drake most recently served as the Dean for Students at BGHS. 

Gerald Gabbard is the new principal of Daybreak Primary School. Mr. Gabbard is joining Battle Ground schools from Concordia University, where he served as an associate professor of education. Mr Gabbard will replace Matt Kauffman, who has accepted a job in another district.

Matt Kesler is the new principal at River HomeLink after serving as the school’s assistant principal for the past year. Kesler replaces Mark Clements, who is retiring. 

Susan Smith is the new assistant principal at River HomeLink, taking over the position from Matt Kesler. Smith is joining Battle Ground schools from the Sumner-Bonney Lake School District, where she was the assistant principal at Mountain View Middle School. 

Krishna Smith is the new assistant principal at Amboy Middle School. Smith, who was most recently the assistant principal at Pleasant Valley Middle School, will replace April Vonderharr, who is the new assistant principal at Tukes Valley Primary School. 

Anna Leeper is the new assistant principal at Pleasant Valley Middle School after serving in the same position at Tukes Valley Primary School. Leeper will replace Krishna Smith, who is the new assistant principal at Amboy Middle School.

April Vonderharr is the new assistant principal at Tukes Valley Primary School, filling the position that opened when Anna Leeper accepted the assistant principal position at Pleasant Valley Middle School. Vonderharr was most recently the assistant principal at Amboy Middle School.

Other Administrative Changes
Julie Hills is the new online coordinator at River Online, River HomeLink’s online program. Hillis was previously the assistant principal at CAM Academy.

Pending final board approval, Juliene Main will be the new Dean of Students at Battle Ground High School. Main is filling the vacancy left open when Jessica Drake became one of the school’s assistant principals. Main was previously an English Language Arts teacher at BGHS.