Mountain View High School Principal Michael Jimenez plans to retire at the end of the school year, the district announced on Tuesday, Feb. 15.

Jimenez has been in the job for two years. He first came to the Mountain View Los Altos Union High School District in 2020 to take over for previous principal Dave Grissom, who had gotten a job as commissioner of the California Interscholastic Federation's Central Coast Section.

School board President Catherine Vonnegut announced Jimenez's retirement at a Feb. 15 board meeting, thanking him for the work he's done to lead Mountain View High during the pandemic.

"I know people will miss him and we wish you the best in your retirement," Vonnegut told him at the meeting.

Jimenez wasn't immediately available for an interview on Wednesday morning. Human resources director Leyla Benson confirmed that he plans to serve out his role as principal for the rest of the school year. His last day will be June 30, Benson said.

With a career in education spanning over 30 years, Jimenez previously worked as an associate superintendent in the Mt. Diablo Unified School District in the East Bay. He has also worked as a principal, vice principal and classroom teacher during his career.

He received a master's degree in educational leadership from Point Loma Nazarene and a bachelor's in physical education from San Diego State University.

Superintendent Nellie Meyer – who previously worked with Jimenez in the Mt. Diablo and San Diego Unified school districts – said at Tuesday's board meeting that what stands out about Jimenez is the strong relationships he has built with students at Mountain View High.

He spends time in the quad each day greeting students and regularly meets with students in his office, Meyer said. She described him as a leader with integrity.

"(He's) someone who takes more than their share of the blame and certainly takes less than their share of credit," Meyer said.