BURBANK HIGH PRINCIPAL REPLACED.

Byline: Lee Condon Daily News Staff Writer

Burbank High School Principal Willard Williams, who had come under fire from some parents and faculty members, will be replaced by an interim principal for the remainder of the school year, school officials said Monday.

"Some members of the staff have demonstrated some concerns about Dr. Williams' leadership," said Burbank Unified School District Superintendent David Aponik. "Hopefully, this will ease some of the tensions at Burbank High School."

Aponik said Williams will be transferred to district headquarters, where he will take on the position of director of special projects. Betty Steinkolk, a school district administrator, will take over for Williams for the rest of the school year. The change will take place March 4.

Aponik said he and Williams, who was hired in summer 1994, reached a mutual agreement on the transfer.

Williams could not be reached for comment.

Aponik cited two problems between Williams and the school community - personality conflicts and conflicts over who would be involved in school decision making.

"Parents were not happy with the way he was leading the school," said Bea Wainwright, president of the Parent-Teacher Association at Burbank High.

She declined to cite specific problems, but said Williams had trouble "relating well to people."

It is the second time in two years that there has been a shift at the top at Burbank High School.

In February 1994 the school board informed Principal Keiko Hentell that her contract would not be renewed.

Hentell, a Japanese-American, sued the district alleging she was dismissed because of her race and sex and the special attention she paid to minority students and their parents. Hentell settled her lawsuit against the district in September 1995.