San Ramon Valley High School Principal Jason Krolikowski has announced that he will be leaving the Danville school this month after three years for a district-level position in Palo Alto.

In an email to SRVHS families Thursday confirming he had just put in his two weeks notice, Krolikowski said that he had accepted the position of director of student services with the Palo Alto Unified School District — pending official approval from that district at next Tuesday's board meeting.

"The decision to leave SRVHS and take on this new challenge was not arrived at lightly, and certainly the part I struggled with most was knowing I would no longer be able to enjoy the relationships we have established, and that I have come to rely on," Krolikowski said. "Whatever level of success we have experienced is a result of the effort and performance of the wonderful students, staff, and community members of SRVHS."

"Without a doubt San Ramon Valley High School will remain my favorite and most memorable school experience. Your dedication and commitment is extraordinary, and I thank you for enriching my life. However, as we all know, change is inevitable, and is at times abrupt," he added.

Krolikowski will replace current Director of Student Services Miriam Stevenson, who is "going into the private sector," Superintendent Don Austin said.

Announcing his decision three weeks into the new school year, which began under remote-only learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Krolikowski said that while he is saddened to leave the Wolf Pack, he is excited at the new challenges that lie ahead in Palo Alto.

One of the driving factors, he said, was "the ability to impact change in a larger setting" as Palo Alto's student services director.

Krolikowski has been principal at SRVHS since the 2017-18 school year, moving up Interstate 680 to Danville after working as principal at Foothill High School in Pleasanton. He had prior administrative experience in the district, having served as assistant principal at Dougherty Valley High School in San Ramon from 2010 to 2013.

As principal, Krolikowski led SRVHS through the main construction — and ultimate completion — of the $64 million redesign of the century-old campus centered around the new, three-story B Building, as well as guided the school through the first seven months of the COVID-19 pandemic. The school also continued its record of strong academic and extracurricular success for students with Krolikowski at the helm.

But his tenure was also marked on-campus tragedy — the May 2018 death of freshman Ben Curry, who drowned unnoticed in the school pool during PE class.

Krolikowski's last day at San Ramon Valley is scheduled for Sept. 18, pending final approval of his new appointment from the Palo Alto school board.

San Ramon Valley Unified School District staff have announced plans for Monte Vista High School assistant principal Liz Pagano to take the reins at San Ramon Valley High as interim principal, with a search for a permanent replacement to be conducted in the spring.

"We are going to miss him. He's been an excellent administrator at that school, but we're very confident we are moving Liz Pagano over to San Ramon Valley High School," SRVUSD communications specialist Denise Jennison said.

"We have lots of confidence in Liz to lead that community and then in the spring we'll go over a complete hiring process where stakeholders from the community will be involved in selecting a new principal to lead their school," Jennison added.

DanvilleSanRamon.com editor Jeremy Walsh contributed to this story.