After Kelly Johnson learned that he had...

After Kelly Johnson learned that he had been appointed principal of Palos Verdes High School, he decided to write personal letters to each of the kids he was leaving behind--the 200 students at the Rancho del Mar Continuation High School, which Johnson founded in 1983 and ran until his recent promotion.

“It was time for me to move on, but I did want to tell those kids once more that I love them and believe in them,” he said.

Johnson, 40, who started in the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District in 1969 as a janitor, said he will take his longtime teaching philosophy to his new job at Palos Verdes High.

“I’m in the people business, and I just happen to believe that all kids are bright and beautiful, and they will be successful in life,” he said.

Johnson replaces Bernard (Nardy) Samuels, who moved to the principal’s post at Santa Monica High School. Bill Howard, an assistant principal at Rolling Hills High, will take over Johnson’s position at Rancho del Mar.

District officials say Johnson’s positive outlook and motivational skills helped make Rancho del Mar one of the best continuation schools in the state. More than 90% of the seniors graduate on schedule from the school, which teaches youths who have special needs or who have had problems in regular schools.

“Kelly has a way of helping students face up to their problems without ever putting them down,” said George Hardesty, district personnel director. “Even when he gets on their case, they know he really cares about them.”

Johnson’s own career has been an example for his students. In his early years as a janitor, he pushed a broom around the halls and classrooms of Rolling Hills High all day, then drove to Cal State Dominguez Hills to attend night classes. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees there.

His first teaching assignment was at Miraleste High School, then he moved back to Rolling Hills as assistant principal and worked there until 1983, when he was asked to set up the district’s continuation school.

Johnson said he and his wife, Roberta, like kids so well that “we decided to collect a few of our own.” They have four, ranging in age from 17 to 6.