Progress on the Porter Ranch Community School and its boundaries became a hot topic at the October PRNC meeting. Since that meeting members of the Council have had the opportunity to meet the newly appointed Principal, Mary Melvin. She comes from Lanai Elementary School in Encino, where she was principal for six years. Before that she was assistant principal at Woodland Hills Elementary School. She has taught every grade from K-6 and also taught in private school.

Board member Becky Leveque exclaimed, “We are really lucky to get someone of such high caliber who interacts so well with parents and students. I was really impressed with her.”

The Porter Ranch Community School is a K-8 span school set to open in fall of 2012 at the corner of Mason and Sesnon. The school will open to about 400 students in kindergarten through seventh grade the first year and will eventually grow to over 800. 

“It is a principal’s dream to open a new school,” said Melvin. “I love a challenge. I am excited about the challenge of a new school, to meet new families, and to create a new community to come together.”

The school is the result of a unique partnership between the developer, Shapell Homes of Southern California, LAUSD, the PRNC, City Councilman Mitch Englander's office and LAUSD Board Member Tamar Galatzan’s office. The PRNC is looking forward to working with Melvin as the school takes off.

Attendance boundaries for the new school have not been finalized. Melvin is the point person for all questions, concerns and ideas from the community. She can be reached at MEP4799 [at] lausd.net. The school’s new web site, Porterranchcommunityschool.org is up and running.