Marin Principal Leaves District

NOVATO, CA — A Novato high school administrator is leaving the district.

Mark Sims is stepping down from his role as San Marin High School’s principal for a new role. Sims will director of secondary education at an outside district, the Novato Unified School District said in a statement Wednesday.

Jennifer Larson, an NUSD administrator, will serve as San Marin’s interim principal for the 2022-23 school year starting July 1, the district said. She currently serves as assistant superintendent of education services.

The NUSD won’t launch a formal search for a replacement until January, when a better applicant pool is expected, the NUSD said. The district expects to fill the position in time for the 2023-24 school year.

“Losing Dr. Sims is truly a loss for Novato Unified,” Superintendent Jan La Torre-Derby said in a statement.

“We are fortunate Jen Larson will step into the role as Interim Principal at San Marin. She has considerable experience in education, experience at NUSD and I know San Marin will be in good hands.”

Larson is a Novato native and a San Marin graduate. She has served as an administrative coordinator, director and, most recently, as the Assistant Superintendent of Education Services. She also served as a middle school teacher at Sinaloa Middle School.

“My commitment is to equity and success for every student,” Larson said in a statement.

“The focus of my work both in the classroom and as an educational leader has been to elevate student voice, remove barriers for student success, and support the leadership capacity and professionalism of teachers.”