Merced High to have new principal next year

Merced High School will begin the next school year with a new principal, district officials confirmed Thursday.

Kurt Kollman, an assistant principal at Buhach Colony High School, was hired with a unanimous vote Wednesday by the Merced Union High School District board of trustees, according to district staff.

Kollman was picked after district officials interviewed about a half-dozen applicants in the past two weeks, according to Ralph Calderon, an assistant superintendent for the district.

“He’s been around education a long time,” Calderon said. “He knows Merced Union High School District, and he’s got a clear vision and mission for Merced High School. That’s what brought him to the top.”

The new principal will take over after the departure of Jon Schaefer, who is leaving for personal reasons after a year as principal, Calderon said.

“We’re sad to see Jon step down, but we’re excited that the future of Merced is going to be in good hands with Kurt Kollman,” Calderon said.

Including stints as associate principal at Atwater High and Golden Valley High School, Kollman has worked in education for about 32 years, according to Calderon. A former math teacher, Kollman graduated from Merced High in 1978.

He’s also been a principal at Merced Valley Community Day School.

This story was originally published April 13, 2017 at 4:48 PM with the headline "Merced High to have new principal next year."