Redondo Beach board announces two administrator appointments, approves expulsion and CIF representation

The Redondo Beach Unified School District Board of Education on May 27 announced two administrator appointments approved in closed session and took three routine actions in open session, including an expulsion and the annual designation of CIF representatives for Redondo Union High School.

Board president led the meeting and reported that the board voted unanimously in closed session to appoint Kate Christiansen as principal of Verde Elementary School and Stephen Lewis as assistant principal at Adams Middle School. The board described Christiansen’s experience at Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified (ten years in elementary instruction, two years as an administrative designee and reading intervention teacher) and Lewis’s four years as a middle school assistant principal in the South Pasadena Unified School District and previous experience teaching middle school math. The board said both appointments were backed by strong recommendations and credentials.

In open session the board approved item 12.1 to expel student E24-255 after opening discussion and moving directly to a vote; the motion passed (no roll-call tally was announced). The board also approved item 12.2, the district’s annual designation of California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) representatives for Redondo Union High School for 2025–26; district staff characterized the CIF notice as an annual procedural authorization.

Votes at a glance • Appointment of Kate Christiansen, principal, Verde Elementary — reported unanimous approval in closed session (vote details not specified). • Appointment of Stephen Lewis, assistant principal, Adams Middle School — reported unanimous approval in closed session (vote details not specified). • Expulsion of student E24-255 (12.1) — motion passed in open session (no roll-call tally provided). • 2025–26 CIF representative designation for Redondo Union High School (12.2) — motion passed in open session (routine annual authorization).

The board did not record public comment on the closed-session items before moving into closed session and reported giving direction to staff on one or more personnel-related items during the closed session report-out. The superintendent noted that the district will work with the new administrators and that further personnel details will follow through district channels.