Manhattan Beach Middle School Principal Luke Olesiuk announced on Wednesday that he would step down at the end of the school year.

Olesiuk, who has come under fire along with MBUSD administrators for the school's and district's response to a handgun incident at the school last month, said that he was leaving to pursue "other opportunities within education."

"Being able to share the past three years with the families, students, and staff at MBMS has been an amazing experience," Olesiuk wrote in a letter to MBMS families. "Learning from the entire MBUSD community has had a lasting impact on me, both personally and professionally, and I am grateful to have had this opportunity. I look forward to finishing the remainder of this current year strong, and I want to assure you that I remain committed to the students and staff here at MBMS during this time. This includes supporting the transition in leadership at MBMS and working to maintain continuity for both school and district initiatives currently in process over the remaining weeks of the school year."

Manhattan Beach Unified School District Superintendent John Bowes gave the following statement to MB News:

“We thank Mr. Olesiuk for his three years of service to MBMS and appreciate his continued commitment and support as we finish out the school year. Throughout his time at MBMS, Mr. Olesiuk has worked closely with staff to support the development of strong student programs, advance academic achievement, and improve the well-being of all students. We are grateful for his dedication and wish him the best as he pursues new opportunities in the field of education.”

Olesiuk and MBUSD administrators have come under fire since the March 19 discovery of a student with an unloaded handgun in his backpack.

Parents' and staff members' ire over a lack of timely communication about the incident spilled over into a school board meeting the following week. MBUSD then organized a town hall meeting, held on April 7, which brought more community members who expressed anger about the way the incident was handled.

MBMS Experiences Leadership Turnover

Olesiuk will have served just one year as principal at Manhattan Beach Middle School. He started the job in the summer of 2024, after having served as a vice principal at the school.

Olesiuk followed a series of MBMS principals who held the position for three years or less.

The previous MBMS principal, Jennifer Huynh, served at the helm for two years, from 2022 to 2024, before leaving to become principal of Mira Costa High School. 

Prior to that, Rose Ahrens served as principal from 2019-2022, and Kim Linz served as principal from 2016-2018.

Manhattan Beach Middle School serves approximately 1,200 students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades.