Andonia Goergen
Staff Writer
After former Manhattan Beach Middle School Principal Kim Linz notified Manhattan Beach Unified School District families on Nov. 7 about her decision to assume the role of Chief Business Official for the El Segundo Unified School District, MBUSD promoted former MBMS Vice Principal Rose Ahrens to fulfill Linz’s role as principal.
Ahrens worked as a writing and literacy specialist and taught grades kindergarten through fifth, excluding third grade, at Robinson Elementary and Pacific Elementary for 15 years. She then served as vice principal at MBMS for four years, working a total of 19 years in the MBUSD. Along with her duties as principal, Ahrens is Co-President of Sandpipers, a women’s philanthropic organization based in Hermosa Beach.
“I am thrilled for Mrs. Ahrens’s promotion to MBMS Principal,” MBMS Vice Principal Kerry Aguero said. “She is intelligent, hard working and will continue to push MBMS staff and students towards greatness.”
Before Ahrens became principal, the district gathered input from the community as to what they needed in the next principal of MBMS. The district found Ahrens fit for the position and offered the job to her, according to Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Dr. Brian Lucas.
“My tenure in MBUSD provides an institutional history that can only be garnered through first-hand experience,” Ahrens said. “Being part of the district’s leadership team for the past three and a half years, I have broader insight to the inner workings of MBMS and its role in our district; with these, I feel ready to take the reigns.”
Ahrens took over for Linz on Dec. 1, but was officially appointed as principal on Dec. 12 at the MBUSD board meeting. MBUSD Superintendent Dr. Mike Matthews recommended her to the rest of the board.
“Mrs. Ahrens has provided exceptional service to the staff, families and students of MBMS while serving as the vice principal,” Lucas said. “She has been deeply involved with many of the curricular and social-emotional initiatives at the school, including development of professional learning communities for teachers, MBMS inclusion efforts, restrictions on the use of technology and new discipline policies.”
Upon leaving MBMS, Linz accepted Susan Aceves’s role of Chief Business Official of ESUSD after Aceves announced her decision to take a planned retirement. Linz previously taught in the Beverly Hills Unified School District before becoming Assistant Principal at MBMS. She later became Pacific Elementary School’s principal until assuming the position of principal at MBMS.
“Ms. Linz will be greatly missed, but this was an opportunity that she could not pass up,” Aguero said. “She will continue to lead through passion and her desire to do what is right for students in El Segundo.”
The district will begin looking for a permanent replacement to fill Ahrens’s former vice principal position alongside Aguero in the spring of 2019. The spot will remain vacant until the search concludes.
“MBMS is an incredible place to work and I want to continue to support the dedicated teachers and staff in their work,” Ahrens said. “I am proud to be part of the MBMS community and relished the opportunity to continue as principal.”
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