Christopher Holmes
Diamond Bar,CA
Summary
Passionate and dedicated educational leader with a commitment to positively influencing the lives of students, staff, and the district community. Proactively leads with strategic thinking and strong convictions, emphasizing collaborative solutions derived from input provided by educational partners. Focused on fostering a shared sense of responsibility in addressing the diverse needs of all students through compassionate and equitable approaches.
Overview
23
23
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Director of Student Services and Special Education
Oxford Preparatory Academy
Aliso Viejo, CA
07.2025 - Current
- Developed comprehensive student support programs to enhance academic success and well-being.
- Implemented strategic initiatives to improve student retention and engagement across diverse populations.
- Led training sessions for staff on best practices in student services and support systems integration.
- Coordinated cross-functional teams to address student needs, ensuring timely resolution of issues.
Director of Pupil Support Services
Lompoc Unified School District
Lompoc, CA
07.2023 - Current
- In serving a K-12 district of 8900 students, I oversee all programs and departments related to child welfare, attendance, and well being. This includes program oversight and training of site administrators in Student Discipline processes (including: suspension and expulsion), behavioral wellness (including: restorative practices, mental health supports, and other means of correction), Attendance and SARB, CTE, ELOP after school care, School Social worker team, and secondary counselors; as well as acting as the district custodian of records, homeless/foster liaison, and coordinator of campus safety (CSSP).
- Accomplishments include:
- LUSD District Attendance rate has improved by approximately 3.5% and we have experienced a reduction in chronic absenteeism by 30%.
- Reduction of student suspensions district wide by 28%
- Development and Implementation of MTSS and PBIS programs leading to comprehensive behavior wellness plan
- Restorative Practices program implementation to reduce percent of students experiencing at least 1 suspension and enhance safety and student school connectedness
- Expanded district ELOP program, including a rebranding to simplify program access for families, from 280 students at start of 2023 to over 1200 students projected for next year.
- In collaboration with district mental health team, created the district threat assessment/suicide prevention plan. This included training of all district mental health personnel in both CSTAG and Suicide prevention.
Director of Student Services
Temple City Unified School District
Temple City, CA
07.2021 - 07.2023
- In serving a district of 5000 students and 7 schools, I managed budgets, people, and resources for educational programs that fall within the responsibilities of student services. This included:
- District enrollment and transfer processes as well as maintenance of student records
- SARB, Expulsion, and student discipline trainings and processes
- Serving as Interim Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services 22-23 school year. This included oversight of special education department and management of district LCAP.
- Leading district wellness committee meetings focusing on student discipline and attendance data to formulate MTSS improvement plans.
- Reviewing and implementing school and district policies to ensure compliance with state and federal regulations.
- District Homeless/ Foster Liaison - Completed Federal Program monitoring report in this area
Principal Longden School
Temple City Unified
Temple City, CA
09.2019 - 07.2021
- Guided a school of 1000 students through COVID lockdown while maintaining high academic standards and maintained multiple extra curricular and student support programs
- Instructional leader of educational programs
- Budget Management and Strategic Planning
- Master Schedule
- Parent & Community Support Groups
- Staffing & Position Control
- Passionate about learning and committed to continual improvement.
- Chair of ELAC
- Team lead of PTA meetings and partnership
Assistant Principal Temple City High School
Temple City Unified School District
Temple City, CA
08.2017 - 09.2019
- Oversight of Athletic Director and Athletic Department. This featured 23 varsity sports and a budget, including transportation, of over a million dollars annually.
- Represented school at all league and CIF meetings
- Monitored student behavior and enforced discipline policies. Improved student attendance rate by 1% and reduced chronic absenteeism by 4%.
- Worked collaboratively to reduce barriers to equitable access to Advanced Placement classes. This led to an increase in Advanced Placement participation by 8%.
- Supervised and evaluated teaching and support staff through instructional leadership and professional development.
- Built productive relationships with parents of students facing difficult situations at school or at home.
- School Safety - Safety Committee chair, CSSP author, Supervisor of campus safety supervisors
Biology Teacher
Walnut Valley Unified School District
Diamond Bar
08.2003 - 09.2017
- Coached sports each year. This included: 4 years as a varsity basketball coach.
- Established positive and encouraging relationship with students and helped to foster appreciation for biology and science.
- Prepared individualized lesson plans and educational materials to structure biology curriculum to needs of each student.
- Students consistently achieved an 80% or greater pass rate on the AP exam.
Education
Administrative Services Clear Credential -
University of California Irvine
Irvine06-2021
Master of Science in Educational Leadership - undefined
California State University
Fullerton06-2012
Bachelor of Science - Biology – General Biology
University of California San Diego
06-1997
Skills
- Collaborative Leadership
- Federal and State Program compliance
- Aeries SIS usage and management
- Student Discipline Investigation and Due Process
- Goal setting
- Staff development and training in the area of Student Services
- MTSS and PBIS Implementation and Development
- Enrollment and Records management
- School Safety Systems and Planning
- Team building
Accomplishments
- Spearheaded attendance intervention strategies that reduced Chronic absenteeism by 33% and improved overall attendance rates in Lompoc USD by almost 4%.
- Reduced the total number of suspensions district wide by 30% in the last year by leading administrators through reflective discussions in district leadership trainings and discussions of practice
- Worked with the Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services to develop and implement an MTSS system that addresses behavioral improvement through therapeutic counseling and SEL competency lessons. These are coordinated at the MTSS Tier 3 level by school social workers under my direction.
- Increased the number of students receiving Tier 2 and Tier 3 services in lieu of disciplinary action by over 20%.
- Implemented training of over 250 staff members in Restorative Practices theory and practice.
- Worked, in collaboration with legal counsel and the Director of special education, to create a detailed alternate placement process for students to be recommended for involuntary transfer to the Community Day School. This update emphasizes focusing on exhausting all other remedies prior to transfer and protecting students due process rights.
- Launched the district's partnership with the city and a local NGO in implementing the ATP Safe Routes to Schools walking school bus program at 4 district schools
- As an elementary principal during the COVID lockdown, navigated the school through online learning while growing a Silver Award winning PBIS program which included providing culturally responsive monthly art enrichment lessons and the digital administration of PBIS rewards system which featured personal home delivery of student PBIS rewards
Certification
- ACSA Academy Human Resources, 2021-2022
- ACSA Academy Pupil Service, 2022-2023
- ACSA Institute for Aspiring Principals, Summer of 2019
- ALICE threat response train the trainer through Navigate 360
- Restorative practices and alternate means of correction - Leaving the Village
Timeline
Director of Student Services and Special Education
Oxford Preparatory Academy
07.2025 - Current
Director of Pupil Support Services
Lompoc Unified School District
07.2023 - Current
Director of Student Services
Temple City Unified School District
07.2021 - 07.2023
Principal Longden School
Temple City Unified
09.2019 - 07.2021
Assistant Principal Temple City High School
Temple City Unified School District
08.2017 - 09.2019
Biology Teacher
Walnut Valley Unified School District
08.2003 - 09.2017
Master of Science in Educational Leadership - undefined
California State University
Administrative Services Clear Credential -
University of California Irvine
Bachelor of Science - Biology – General Biology
University of California San Diego
Training
- Restorative Practice - Leaving the Village
- LACOE Training Sessions, School Safety Plan Development, Student Discipline (Suspension and Expulsion)
- ALICE Train the trainer
- California Safe Schools conference 2023, 2024
- California MTSS conference, July 2018 and 2022