Southern Section Names Commissioner

Jim Staunton, principal at Huntington Beach High since 1991, was announced Monday as the eighth commissioner of the Southern Section of the California Interscholastic Federation.

Staunton, 50, will assume his duties Sept. 1, succeeding Dean Crowley, who is retiring after six years.

“I’m pretty excited,” Staunton said. “It’s a tremendous challenge.”

Staunton was not a candidate when Crowley, 64, retired Feb. 9 but emerged when an executive-search firm was hired about three weeks ago.

“I had a different impression of the type of person they were looking for, probably my own misinterpretation,” Staunton said. “After the process got going, I realized the executive committee could be looking for someone with my background and what I perceived to be my skills.”

Margie Godfrey, the executive council’s president, headed the search.

“He comes across with incredible professional poise, compassion,” she said. “He has the leadership qualities, strength and courage with compassion, that we need to address the challenges we’re facing.”

Among those, Godfrey said, are more releaguing and competitive equity questions, and “ever-increasing litigation and the need to work with people and help them understand what we do.”

In assuming command of the section, Staunton will oversee 540 schools.

“I think the committee was looking for someone with a vision for the section for the next five to 10 years,” he said. “I described what I saw happening. . . . Schools will have to deal with the impact of legislation that will deal with social promotion and high school exit exams, open enrollment, and increases in student population. . . .”