Administration Team
Meet Your Principals
Principal, Dr. Kelly Skon
Dr. Skon brings BVMS over 14 years of experience starting as a Middle School Math teacher, later becoming a Common Core Site Lead at Laguna Beach Unified School District, 3 years of district-level leadership at Saddleback Valley Unified School District, and most recently the Assistant Principal at Fountain Valley High School.
Dr. Skon holds a Doctorate in Philosophy from Chapman University, a Masters of Arts in Education from Vanguard University of Southern California, and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Chapman University, Orange, as well as gaining professional credentials and training from Harvard Graduate School of Education, the Association of California School Administrators and Azusa Pacific University amongst several other notable achievements. Dr. Skon will assume the position in July.
In addition to her work in education, Dr. Skon enjoys golfing with friends, reading a book at the beach, and taking her dog Lexi for walks. Dr. Skon has three siblings - an older brother and sister, and an identical twin! Her twin's name is Heather and looks just like her. Both Dr. Skon and her brother, Brett, have followed the family tradition of being in education. Their grandmother graduated in 1933 from UCLA with a degree in education and spent her life dedicated as a reading specialist.
Dr. Skon holds a Doctorate in Philosophy from Chapman University, a Masters of Arts in Education from Vanguard University of Southern California, and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Chapman University, Orange, as well as gaining professional credentials and training from Harvard Graduate School of Education, the Association of California School Administrators and Azusa Pacific University amongst several other notable achievements. Dr. Skon will assume the position in July.
In addition to her work in education, Dr. Skon enjoys golfing with friends, reading a book at the beach, and taking her dog Lexi for walks. Dr. Skon has three siblings - an older brother and sister, and an identical twin! Her twin's name is Heather and looks just like her. Both Dr. Skon and her brother, Brett, have followed the family tradition of being in education. Their grandmother graduated in 1933 from UCLA with a degree in education and spent her life dedicated as a reading specialist.
Assistant Principal (6th Grade), Richard Waters
Richard Waters is a graduate of El Rodeo and Beverly Hills High School. Growing up in the area, he worked for Beverly Hills Recreation and Parks for over 10 years and for the Beverly Hills YMCA for 15 years. While successfully completing his teaching credential and master's in educational leadership, Richard worked as a teacher’s assistant at Beverly Vista and he began coaching volleyball, basketball, and track at Beverly Hills High School.
After teaching for LAUSD for five years, Richard was recruited by his longtime friend and ex-teacher, principal Steve Fisher, to teach mathematics at El Rodeo School. While at El Rodeo, Richard was recognized by the PTA with their highest honor, the Golden Oak Service Award. As a teacher, Richard was also recognized by BHUSD with an Apple Award in 2008.
Richard moved on to become an administrator in 2011 and his first assignment was at Beverly Vista School. After serving at Beverly Vista for 3 years, Richard transferred to Hawthorne where he worked as an Assistant Principal for 4 years and as an Interim Principal for one year. In 2020, Richard was again recognized by BHUSD with an administrative Apple Award.
This is the third time that Richard has been assigned to work at Beverly Vista Middle School and he takes tremendous pride in being part of the team that helped create BHUSD’s first comprehensive middle school.
Assistant Principal (8th Grade), Joe Little
Mr. Little was born and raised in Orange County, California, where he grew up with his sister Kristen and his supportive parents Ken and Cindy. Mr. Little received his Masters of Arts in Education and Administration Credential from Loyola Marymount University and his Bachelor of Art in History and Teaching Credential from California State University Long Beach. Mr. Little considers himself a lifelong learner and wants to foster that type of mindset with the students he serves. He has been working solely in the middle school setting for over 10 years and has a strong passion for working with middle school students and families.
Mr. Little spends most of his time outside education playing with his 3.5 year old son Logan, his dog Lucy and enjoying family time with his wife Casie. You can also find him rooting his favorite local sports teams and enjoying all the beauty Southern California has to offer.
Assistant Principal (7th Grade), Sarah Perkins
Sarah Perkins, Ed.S. has always wanted to be an educator. She began her journey teaching taekwondo at the age of 13, where she found her passion for teaching. She is from the midwest with over 15 years of experience with various grade levels including elementary and middle school students. Sarah is passionate about diversity and inclusion in education and assisted in implementing diverse initiatives in previous positions. Sarah has held teaching, team leadership, and school leader roles and is excited to join Beverly Hills Unified.Sarah attended Drake University for a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and two master’s degrees in Teacher Effectiveness and Professional Development, and Specialist in Education in School Leadership. She recently completed a third master’s in Curriculum and Instruction. She loves learning and reading. In her free time, Sarah enjoys spending time with her family exploring Los Angeles.