New Assistant Principals Named at Palo Alto Middle School

Two new assistant principals are announced for Jordan Middle School in Palo Alto, according to the district.

Superintendent of Palo Alto Unified School District Kevin Skelly will recommend to the Board of Education the appointment of Matthew Lindner and Rebecca Westover as the new Assistant Principals at Jordan Middle School.

Westover replaces Ellie Slack, who is retiring at the end of the school year.
  
Lindner replaces Grant Althouse who was appointed principal of Fairmeadow Elementary School.

“I am incredibly excited and honored to be joining the Jordan Middle School staff and to continue the work of providing a powerful, positive, and inclusive learning experience for all students,” Lindner said.

He started teaching elementary school in the Oak Grove School District, where he was a first and second grade teacher for five years, before joining PAUSD as a third and fourth grade teacher at Palo Verde Elementary School.
  
Lindner joined the Curriculum Department at the District Office as a Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA) for the last two years and has led many professional development initiatives and assisted over 250 administrators and teachers with instructional coaching, literacy strategies, and technology integration during his time as a TOSA.

Lindner attended the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, earning both his BA and MA in Education, and is a National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certified teacher.

Westover comes to PAUSD from Castro Valley High School, where she has been teaching Advanced Placement Environmental Science, EL Biology, and Biology since 2010.

She has been an active member of her school’s leadership team, serving on the school site council, technology, and site planning committees.

As a science specialist in Newport Mesa Unified School District from 2008-2010, Westover spent two years working with over 500 elementary school students, where her hands-on, inquiry-based approach to teaching resulted in the best science scores in the district.

Westover attended Gonzaga University where she earned both her B.A. in Public Relations, as well as a M.A. in Communication and Leadership.

She earned her multiple subjects and her single subject teaching credentials in Biology, Earth, and Planetary Sciences at UC Irvine.

“I am very excited about joining the talented Jordan Middle School team," she said. "I am looking forward to supporting the staff and students in the upcoming year."

Dr. Skelly commented, "We are so pleased to be adding these two talented, student-centered educators to the Jordan administrative team.”