At the April 26, 2018 regularly scheduled Board of Education Meeting, the Washington Unified School District (WUSD) Trustees approved the appointment of two administrators to the positions of Chief Business Official and Principal at Stonegate Elementary School.
Christopher D. Mount-Benites will serve as the Chief Business Official (CBO) for Washington Unified responsible for the business and operations of the non-instructional programs district-wide. His direct supervision will include the services of fiscal, payroll, facilities, food services, maintenance, operations, and transportation. Additionally, he will oversee facilities and project management as large construction projects outside of regular maintenance occur.
Mr. Mount-Benites comes to WUSD with a wealth of experience in K-12 education system, the university level, and private industry having served in many roles including an English and Social Studies teacher, elementary and high school principal, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, K-12 program and policy analyst, Chief Financial Officer and Operations Officer, and Assistant Superintendent of Business Services.
Christopher currently serves as the Associate Superintendent of Business Services in a large school district where his steadfast leadership will surely be missed. He has a proven track record for producing results and a comprehensive understanding of California’s fiscal landscape. We are energetically looking forward to working together with Christopher on behalf of all the students and families of the WUSD.
Dr. Jay N. Berns, Ed.D. has been selected as the new Principal at Stonegate Elementary School. Dr. Berns comes to the WUSD with more than 22 years of extensive experience in public education serving in a variety of roles including elementary and high school teacher, middle school vice principal, elementary, middle and high school principal, administrator, and principal coach.
Dr. Berns’ professional journey as an educator has been one of constant growth, reflection, and continuous improvement through endless learning. His tireless dedication has been a major influence in the lives of the children and families in the communities he has served. The successes he has garnered can be attributed in large part to his flexibility in working with people, his own process of self-reflection, and his willingness to learn from prior experiences.
When combined with his drive to seek out the latest and greatest innovations and practices for improving student achievement, there is no question he leaves a difficult void to fill in his current district. His vision and leadership will be a great addition to the WUSD and Stonegate Elementary communities ensuring that all students and staff have the tools they need to succeed.
Families are invited to a
meet and greet with Principal Berns on Wednesday, May 23, 2018 from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM in the Stonegate Library hosted by the Stonegate Elementary PTO.
Both Mr. Mount-Benites and Dr. Berns will begin their new roles as of July 1, 2018. Please join us in welcoming them to the WUSD Team!
