Whittier Elementary getting new principal

Whittier Elementary School in Costa Mesa will get a new principal, pending the school board’s final approval, the Newport-Mesa Unified School District announced Friday.

The district selected Scott Wilcox, a principal at Felton Elementary School in the Lennox School District in Los Angeles County.

He will replace Principal Tracey Carter. Carter and Newport-Mesa representatives did not return calls seeking information about why Carter was vacating the position.

The hiring decision followed final interviews last week after a selection process that included input from parents, employees and other stakeholders.

“[Wilcox’s] bilingual abilities combined with his respect for diversity and cultural awareness has helped him to build strong ties with communities and families,” district spokeswoman Laura Boss wrote in a news release.

Newport-Mesa’s top administrator also worked at the Lennox School District.

Supt. Fred Navarro was hired in June after serving as that district’s superintendent for about a year and a half.

“Mr. Wilcox is the well-respected principal of Felton Elementary School,” Lennox Assistant Supt. of Human Resources Luis Camarena said in a prepared statement. “He has built a culture of high expectations, respect and caring. The school has become one large family, which looks out for the specific needs of each student.”

— Jeremiah Dobruck

Twitter: @jeremiahdobruck