Lagunitas School District has hired Laura Shain, of Ocean Shore School in Pacifica, as its new principal. Shain completed her undergraduate studies at Bard College and received a M.A. in education with a concentration in educational administration from San Francisco State University. She was drawn to the position because of the four unique programs that the district offers. “I’ve slowly been getting up to speed,” said Shain, who began work on July 1. “It’s so beautiful here, that’s the first thing I’ve been enjoying. The people are so welcoming and are very passionate about what they’re doing here.” Shain expects to launch new projects, such as a weekly newsletter and Yahoo! Groups, and promote student leadership. Both these initiatives complement her experience at Ocean Shore, where she supported high rates of parent participation and project-based learning.  She will also continue to work on math articulation, which involves shaping curriculums to fit the expectations of local high schools, and examine the structure of the middle school program.