Temecula Valley HS principal resigns

Rani Goyal has resigned as the principal of Temecula Valley High School. Her resignation is effective Sept. 7, said a district spokeswoman Monday.

Goyal will leave to take on a position as the executive director at Helix Charter High School in the San Diego-area city of La Mesa, said Melanie Norton with the Temecula Valley Unified School District. Goyal’s employment with Temecula Valley Unified School District began in November 2006.

When reached late Monday, Goyal, a Temecula resident, said taking the position at Helix will allow her an opportunity to grow in her career as she serves in a dual role of principal of the charter as well as its superintendent. The high school became a charter school in the late 1990s, and is self-governed, she said.

Goyal, who came to California six years ago to open a charter school in the Bay Area of San Francisco, said going back to a charter school atmosphere was something she was looking forward to.

“My passion is definitely with students, and with thinking out-of-the-box,” she said. “It happens in public schools, too, but there is more of that out-of-the-box thinking in charter schools.”

“It was a change that came very quickly,” she said. “It is sad for me to leave this school. This community has been wonderful to me.”

Goyal said she has prepared a message that will be sent to Temecula Valley High School students and families.

The district has appointed Richard Lawrence to take Goyal’s place at Temecula Valley High. Lawrence has worked for the district since October 2005. He was the assistant principal at James L. Day Middle School until 2008. He currently serves as the principal of Temecula Valley Unified School District’s alternative programs, which include Rancho Vista High School, Susan H. Nelson High School, Temecula Valley Adult School and the district’s home schooling program, Rolling Hills Academy.

Principal Greg Cooke of Day Middle will now oversee the alternative programs. Cooke has been with the district since 1990, and began serving as assistant principal at Day Middle in 1999. Cooke’s replacement has not been determined yet, Norton said.

The promotions are set to be approved at Tuesday’s board meeting at 6 p.m. at the Temecula Valley Unified School District main office.