Colony Oak Elementary School will have a new principal.

It was announced at Monday’s Ripon Unified school board meeting that Kimberly Ott will be taking over the top administrative post at the kindergarten-through-eighth grade school site.

According to Superintendent Ziggy Robeson, the new principal is currently involved in the district’s summer school program and is planning on attending the June 28 school board session.

Trustees have scheduled two meeting for this month.

Interim Human Resources Manager Krista Galvan listed several new hires and two position changes for the 2021-22 school year.

The latter includes Alisha Vasche becoming vice principal at Ripon High and Shandi Ross teaching English at RHS.

Scott Sikma was among the new hires. He, too, will teach English at RHS.

Ripon High will also welcome new resource specialist program instructor Joseph Trout.

The other newcomers to the district are teachers Julissa Cardenas, Megan Bassler, Breanna Hinkerson and Katherine DeAnda-Granados; school RN Elizabeth Higginbotham; elementary school site counselor Michelle Pinasco; substitute teacher Samantha Jermanon; instructional aide Justin Castro; instruction aide substitute Lori Souza; and 1:1 client specific aide Bernice Aguilar.

Trustees, in addition, agreed on a slight pay cut – 30 minutes per day – for a position in the Nutrition Services Program due to “the district’s budget, expenses, and staffing needs” for the upcoming school year.

“The Nutrition Service Program has been operating with a significant deficit and the district is reorganizing program,” according to the resolution approved by the board.