Santa Rosa school administration on vacation after fatal stabbing

Two administrators from Montgomery High School in Santa Rosa were placed on leave two weeks after a student was fatally shot on campus.

On Monday, the Santa Rosa County website announced the decision in a brief statement saying Principal Adam Paulson and Assistant Principal Tyler Alborn are on vacation and that former Principal Laurie Fong will serve as Principal for the remainder of the school year.

School superintendent Anna Trannell did not provide any other information about the action.

Fong, who served as principal from 2006 to 2016, resigned from the Santa Rosa Board of Education to take a seat at Montgomery, according to the district.

“Leaving her position on the board of education allows her to return to MHS to participate in treatment and work closely with the district and the school community as we provide safety and social-emotional support for the school,” the district said in a statement.

Kaesa Enemark and Ryan Thompson, former site administrators, will join the administrative team to support Fong and the school community, the district said.

Sixteen-year-old Montgomery High School student Jaden Jess Pienta was fatally shot on March 1 during a fight in art class, and the 15-year-old was charged with premeditated manslaughter.

A week later, a 15-year-old student was found with a large hunting knife in his backpack at another school in Santa Rosa, Amaros Academy. The student was arrested and prosecuted on suspicion of possessing dangerous weapons on campus, police said.

The school district said it is adding oversight to all high school campuses.

“Officers will spend more time patrolling our high school grounds for additional support. We will continue to work with (Santa Rosa Police) to establish long-term security strategies,” the county said in a statement.