Sun Valley : Finally, Manny Rangel Appointed Principal

Manny Rangel, the assistant principal at Sun Valley Middle School, was promoted Friday to be the school principal--a move that ended nearly four months of dissatisfaction at the northeast Valley school.

Supt. Sid Thompson said he made the appointment the day after the board approved a new hiring policy designed to allow schools like Sun Valley to promote administrators who have not yet taken a required exam.

The board approved the policy for schools operating under the district’s reform programs, designed to give parents and faculty more decision-making powers.

“Now I have the policy and a procedure,” Thompson said. “I believe now we’re in good shape.”

The district had sent veteran administrator John Liechty to run the school while the decision was being made, and Liechty said Friday he will remain at the campus for another week as a transition.

Thompson said Liechty will aid Rangel.

“We’re not just taking Manny and throwing him in there,” Thompson said. “John Liechty will stay for a while.”

The appointment had been denied by Thompson because Rangel hadn’t taken and passed a district administrative exam.

But under the new policy, administrators can be promoted without the test.