Monte Vista's New Principal has Deep Roots in Danville

The San Ramon Valley Unified School District Board of Education announced today the selection of Janet Terranova as the new principal of Monte Vista High School in Danville.

Terranova, whose teaching background is in K-12 special education and elementary school instruction,  is a 25-year resident of Danville. 

"My children went through Baldwin and Charlotte Wood, then San Ramon Valley High," she said. "We're definitely a community family."

Terranova began teaching in the district in 1987, and spent four years as president of the San Ramon Valley Education Association before becoming assistant principal at California High School in San Ramon.

She said district administrators approached her several weeks ago to find out whether she would be interested in the new position.

"They asked, I thought about it and I said 'yes.' And I'm delighted I did," she said this afternoon.

It won't be her first time working at Monte Vista. She taught special education there 10 years ago and said it would be a "great opportunity" to return to the campus. 

Terranova said she had focused on special education because of the opportunity to get to know students better and work closely with them in smaller classes.

"It just really tugged at my heartstrings and that's where I decided to go," she said. 

Terranova has spent the last two years as principal at Venture Independent Study School in San Ramon. 

Moving from Venture, a small campus with individualized programs for students, to a comprehensive campus with more student-centered activities will be a transition, but Terranova said she loves both settings.

She said she looks forward to getting to know Monte Vista's staff, students and community after being away for so long. 

"That's going to be my first job there," Terranova said. "Getting to know Monte Vista again. They've made some tremendous changes over the past 10 years."

She described Monte Vista as "a great school with rich traditions." 

Terranova has worked in education for more than 25 years as a teacher and school administrator. She holds teaching credentials and a master's degree from the University of San Diego, and an administrative credential from California State University, Hayward.

School district spokesman Terry Koehne said Terranova will be the permanent replacement for Rebecca Smith, who had been Monte Vista's principal since 1996. The district placed Smith on administrative leave in the fall after a student felt threatened by Smith with an airsoft pistol. Koehne would not elaborate on the incident.

Smith will remain on administrative leave through the school year, and no decision has been made by the district regarding a possible reassignment, Koehne said. Since last fall, Duff Danilovich and Barbara Burg, retired district administrators, have filled the role of temporary principal at Monte Vista.

In Tuesday night's meeting, the Board of Education also approved the appointment of Matt Hermann to succeed Terranova at Venture. Hermann has been principal at Montair Elementary School in Danville since 2000.  He spent several years as an administrative intern and teacher on special assignment in the district, and was an English teacher at San Ramon Valley High School for 10 years. Hermann as been an educator for 27 years.

"I am excited about the vision of Venture and what it represents," said Hermann. "It fills a unique need in our community with an extremely dedicated and thoughtful group of staff members who are focused on the needs of students. These are the same things that I have appreciated about Montair and am sad to leave such a caring community."

Terranova and Hermann will start the positions in July.

"These are two people who have already proven themselves as excellent administrators and strong leaders in our district,"said Superintendent Steven Enoch, in a news release from the district today. "I am confident that the staff and students at Monte Vista will continue to thrive under Janet's leadership. As for Venture School, I believe that Matt's core beliefs and leadership style make him the perfect fit for this school."