Daem announces resignation

Laguna Beach Unified School District Superintendent Theresa Daem will be leaving her post at the end of the coming school year.

Daem, who has served the district since 1998, said her decision was based on personal factors.

“It is both with excitement and a tinge of sadness that I announce that 2006-2007 will be my last year with you,” she said in letter sent to her staff July 13.

The letter continues: “I have decided it is time to leave because I have many interests and dreams and opportunities yet to pursue. It is, of course, simultaneously sad to leave so many truly special people.”

Daem made the announcement after a turbulent year, including the controversial resignation of high school principal Nancy Blade, which brought dozens of parent protesters to district headquarters last spring.

Assistant Superintendent Steven Keller also resigned to take a position as Superintendent of the Redondo Beach school district.

Daem asserts that her leaving is unrelated to the uproar over the Blade resignation, which the principal sought to rescind.

The Board of Education denied Blade’s request to return to the district. A new high school principal will lead the school next year.

With no specific plans when she leaves, Daem, who is engaged to be married, said she is looking forward to exploring the alternatives.

“I have a whole year to contemplate,” she said. “I don’t want people to feel I’m wanting to leave. I love it here. At this point in my life I’m just looking forward to other things.”

Having gone through breast cancer last year and the death of school board member Katherine Turner this year, Daem said the two events have had a profound impact on her.

“I’ve learned life is short,” she said. Daem also said that while in school at the University of Southern California she was taught that after seven or eight years as a superintendent it’s good to move on.

“I want to let someone else in,” she said.

Proud of her work over the last eight years, Daem said she is appreciative of a “highly competent staff” and a supportive school board that “cared about all the right things.”