> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Ed board approves transfer - URL: https://www.smdp.com/ed-board-approves-transfer/ - Published: 2008-06-28T15:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-24T19:59:51.000Z - Author: Kevin Herrera - Tags: Education, Malibu, #archive-import *Principals transferred POLICY CHANGES PUT ON HOLD* SMMUSD HDQTRS While anger and frustration was palpable, it was sadness that parents of students at John Muir Elementary School seemed to express most during a recent school board meeting, because the principal that helped their children progress scholastically and, in some cases, socially is being transferred after five years of service. Instead of leading John Muir in the fall, a school she helped earn a California Distinguished School designation, Martha Duran-Contreras has been tapped to strengthen instruction at all Title 1 schools, elected officials feeling that her talent at turning those schools around is extremely valuable and must be shared with other Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District campuses that need help. Title 1 schools are those that have the highest concentration of students living in poverty. “Martha didn’t have the opportunity to say good-bye to the children she cares about so much,” said Marie Robinson, the parent of a child with Asperger’s Syndrome who attends John Muir. “Martha helped my son tremendously. He really has opened up.” Another parent, Liane Sato, said Duran- Contreras served as a positive role model for her daughter. “She was just super positive and very helpful,” Sato said. “I feel that there was not time given for closure. We were notified after the fact.” Replacing Duran-Contreras at John Muir will be former Lincoln Middle School Principal Tristan Komlos, who has been heavily criticized by parents following the arrest of Thomas Beltran, a former English as a second language teacher who has been charged with multiple counts of child molestation. Parents voiced concerns with leadership at the school, pointing out that Komlos had taken two maternity leaves since her arrival in 2006. The recent arrest of Beltran, a 30-year veteran educator in the district, for allegedly molesting girls in his class seemed to be the last straw, parents issuing a letter to the school board calling for Komlos’ removal. They said there has been a problem with turnover at the school the past several years and are looking for stability. Some parents at John Muir are not completely confident in Komlos and have asked the school board to keep a close eye on her, evaluating her performance mid-term while providing professional development. Those parents have also asked for additional resources, such as a reading specialist. A replacement for Komlos has not been named, School board President Oscar de la Torre said parents will be consulted before a decision is made, pointing out that parents were involved in the selection of Komlos at Lincoln two years ago. “We agree with parents that the process \[of transferring Duran-Contreras\] was not ideal, but we want to ensure \[she\] is shared throughout the district, especially when it comes to improving learning at Title 1 schools where she has proven to be effective.” District officials said the transfers are not in response to the arrest of Beltran, however, de la Torre said that school board members did take it into account when making their decision. The transfers are part of a larger effort to shift resources throughout the district, placing educators in positions where they can be the most effective. Many parents found out about the transfer by reading an article in the Los Angeles Times that stated Komlos’ transfer was approved several days before the board even voted on it, frustrating many in the district, de la Torre going so far as to say the Times acted irresponsibly in reporting the transfers as fact before they were made official. “It gave the misperception that Komlos was being moved because she failed at Lincoln,” de la Torre said.“We don’t see it that way. That was a successful administration. There is controversy, but she is not the person to be blamed.” Duran-Contreras spoke publicly for the first time about her transfer during the school board meeting, borrowing passages from a speech given by educator and activist Benjamin E. Mays to express her thoughts. “It must be borne in mind that the tragedy in life doesn’t lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach,” Duran-Contreras said, her voice filled with emotion as she read Mays’ famous words.“It isn’t a calamity to die with dreams unfulfilled, but it is a calamity not to dream. It is not a disaster to be unable to capture your ideal, but it is a disaster to have no ideal to capture. It is not a disgrace not to reach the stars, but it is a disgrace to have no stars to reach for. Not failure, but low aim is sin.” She spoke of the desire to educate all children, never putting one group above another. She also spoke about the beauty of diversity and somewhat defended her tenure at John Muir. She ended by saying that she hoped that the transfers “were done with children in mind.” While Duran-Contreras’ future in the district was the hot topic, many parents showed up for the school board meeting to weigh in on changes to the district’s sexual abuse policy. The board, at the request of a district advisory committee formed to evaluate the policy, postponed action on the changes to give parents more time to review them. One of the biggest policy changes comes in the reporting procedures, requiring that the principal file a confidential incident report form and forward it to the superintendent. Another change will make it the district’s responsibility to provide abuse prevention curriculum to ensure all children are educated on child abuse, learning ways in which they can identify an unsafe situation. Changes could also be in store for the sexual harassment policy. *Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 28, 2008.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/062808.pdf?ref=smdp.com)