TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

The president and chief administrator of Bakersfield Christian High School has been replaced by the superintendent of St. John's Lutheran School in Bakersfield, officials said.

Stephen Dinger will take on the leadership role of both campuses on an interim basis while BCHS officials search for a permanent president for the private high school, said Alan R. Larsen, chairman of the BCHS board.

He would not say, however, why Daniel Cole was being replaced as president and chief administrator.

"We're obligated to protect his privacy," Larsen said. "Parents and students should know the excellence in education will continue. We have fine staff and faculty here."

A message left at Cole's home was not returned. He had been president at the high school since 2004. In a statement, Larsen said the board was thankful for Cole's years of service.

Dinger serves as school superintendent and director of operations of St. John's Lutheran Church, school and children center. That school in 2008 was awarded the nation's highest honor for schools -- a Blue Ribbon.

He has also served as executive director of the Washington Federation of Independent Schools, city administrator for the city of DuPont, and formed his own consulting practice for nonprofit groups.

"I look forward to helping BCHS students and their families experience a rewarding and productive academic year," Dinger said in a statement.

In an interview Tuesday, Dinger said he is splitting time between the schools "50-50," and a motivation for him in accepting the job was to connect the two private schools in a "unique way."

Larsen said a national search for a new president at BCHS will start in "a few weeks," and officials hope to have a replacement in place before the end of the school year.

For the third time this month, Cal State Bakersfield has announced it has received a grant from the National Science Foundation, this time one for $1.75 million to recruit and train science majors and professionals to teach K-12 science and math.

CSUB has received the Robert Noyce Teacher Fellowship that will give scholarships and teaching salary supplements to graduate students who enroll in and complete the new master's degree in science education and teach in high-need school districts.

California State University trustees reviewed that degree Tuesday evening and were expected to approve it for a fall 2012 start. The degree addresses the CSU system-wide goal of increasing the quality and quantity of K-12 science teachers in California, according to CSUB.

The fellowship at CSUB will focus on people whose initial career choice was not teaching, and offer them the coursework necessary to meet the state's teaching mandates. Fellows will learn how to teach science to young people and how to bring their research skills into the classroom.

Ten students will be placed in each of two groups, one beginning in 2012 and another in 2013. Fellows will receive scholarships while attaining their master's degrees, as well as salary supplements for four years following completion of the program as long as they are teaching science in a high-needs school district. Scholarship and supplements can reach $60,000 total for five years.

The grant will fund professional development and advising for other students, too.

Last week, The Californian highlighted CSUB's receipt of two other grants: a $5 million grant to create the Center for Research Excellence in Science and Technology, and one for $200,000 aimed at supporting and grooming local high schoolers to become geoscientists.

Two former veteran Kern High School District maintenance and operations workers have filed a lawsuit against the district alleging they were wrongfully terminated for whistleblowing on corrupt practices, breach of contract, and age and race discrimination, court documents show.

The Californian in June highlighted the allegations and their arguments that they exposed practices involving improper awarding and administration of roofing job contracts. When they blew the whistle, they argue, they were forced out of their jobs.

John Fox and Clem Williams argue in new court documents that they spoke out against "needless wasteful" spending in their department, as well as "kickbacks, bribes and improper gifts" being given to KHSD employees from construction companies.

Workers, they say, were invited to yacht parties by contractors and were given extravagant meals and trips. KHSD supervisors, they argue, did nothing to stop the practices, and instead tried to force the two out when they spoke out.

They also argue, new court documents show, that they were forced out of their jobs based on their age -- Fox is 53 and Williams 63. And in Williams' case, he claims he was discriminated against based on his race.

Employees at North High and Frontier High, where Williams worked, regularly called black students and staff racial slurs, he said.

Reports obtained by The Californian showed the KHSD sought Williams' and Fox's dismissal for being incompetent, dishonest and falsifying information on the job. KHSD and construction officials have denied wrongdoing.

A KHSD spokesman on Tuesday would not comment on the anticipated litigation as officials had not received lawsuit documentation.

A third former worker featured in the June Californian article, David Rich, is in negotiations with KHSD, his attorney said. Williams and Fox are asking for several millions of dollars for lost wages, retirement benefits and emotional distress.

Kern High School District 's board may appoint two administrators for East and Foothill high schools Wednesday morning in a closed-door meeting.

Both campuses could get new assistant principals if trustees decide on appointments. Appointments will be reported in public.

Also, the board will vote on soliciting bids to build a scoreboard for Frontier High's baseball and softball field. It will vote on an agreement with the Kern County Probation Department to provide additional security at certain functions, activities and public gatherings conducted by KHSD.

And trustees will award a bid for demolishing a building near Bakersfield High School for parking lot expansion. KHSD recently bought for $400,000 industrial land on the corner of 14th and D streets that houses two storage buildings.

The open meeting starts at 11:05 a.m. at 5801 Sundale Ave.

-- Jorge Barrientos, Californian staff

For more education news, go to The Californian's education blog, The Grade, at www.bakersfield.com/thegrade or follow The Grade's Twitter at twitter.com/TBCTheGrade.