When a school principal is arrested on suspicion of trying to meet a child for sexual purposes, the news shakes an entire community. Parents at Vineyard STEAM Academy in Ontario and families connected to Alta Loma High School in Rancho Cucamonga are now asking difficult questions. Was my child ever alone with him? Did anyone at the school notice warning signs? What are our rights if something happened?
At Dordulian Law Group (DLG), our child sexual abuse attorneys help survivors and families across California find answers, accountability, and justice. This guide explains what is publicly known about the arrest of principal Jason Kaylor, what grooming warning signs look like, how California law protects children, and what steps you can take right now if you believe your child, or you as a former student, may have been harmed. If you need to talk to someone today, call (866) GO-SEE-SAM.
Jason Kaylor, 45, of Rancho Cucamonga, was serving as principal of Vineyard STEAM Academy in Ontario when he was arrested shortly after midnight on August 17, 2026. Vineyard STEAM Academy serves students from transitional kindergarten through 8th grade and is part of the Ontario-Montclair School District.
According to the Orange County Register, the Costa Mesa Police Department began investigating after receiving a report that Kaylor was allegedly attempting to meet a minor for lewd purposes. Officers located and arrested him in the 3200 block of Harbor Boulevard in Costa Mesa.
Ontario-Montclair School District Superintendent James Hammond confirmed that the district is aware of the arrest and of the ongoing Costa Mesa Police Department investigation. Citing district policy, he said the district would not comment further on confidential personnel information. The district has since reported that an acting principal is now leading Vineyard STEAM Academy.
Before joining Vineyard STEAM Academy, Kaylor was the principal of Alta Loma High School in Rancho Cucamonga, a campus within the Chaffey Joint Union High School District. As of September 8, 2026, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office had not filed criminal charges, and the case remains under investigation.
A school principal holds one of the most trusted positions in any community. Principals supervise teachers and staff, oversee student discipline, control access to offices and private spaces on campus, and often build personal relationships with students and their families. That authority and access is exactly why an arrest like this one leads so many families to look back and ask questions.
Kaylor’s career includes leadership of a TK through 8th grade campus and a large public high school. That means the families who may have concerns include current and former Vineyard STEAM Academy students, as well as former Alta Loma High School students, many of whom are now adults. If you or your child had interactions with Kaylor that felt uncomfortable, secretive, or inappropriate, those feelings deserve to be taken seriously.
It is common for survivors of school sexual abuse to stay silent for years. Children often lack the words to describe what happened, fear they will not be believed, or carry shame that was placed on them by the person who harmed them. News of an arrest is often the moment a survivor finally realizes that what happened was not their fault.
Grooming is the process an abuser uses to build trust with a child, and often with the child’s family, in order to gain access and lower defenses. Grooming by a teacher, coach, or administrator frequently includes behaviors such as:
Parents should also watch for changes in their child, including withdrawal, anxiety, sudden fear of school or a particular adult, trouble sleeping, declining grades, secretive phone use, unexplained gifts, or age-inappropriate sexual knowledge. None of these signs proves that abuse happened, but each is a reason to have a calm, supportive conversation and to seek guidance.
If you are worried that your child had inappropriate contact with Jason Kaylor or any other school employee, these steps can help protect your child and your family’s legal rights:
Yes. Because of the special relationship between schools and the students in their care, California school districts have a duty to take reasonable steps to protect students from foreseeable harm, including sexual abuse by employees. In C.A. v. William S. Hart Union High School District (2012), the California Supreme Court held that a school district can be held liable when administrators or supervisors negligently hire, retain, or supervise an employee who sexually abuses a student.
A school sexual abuse lawsuit may include claims such as:
In any case involving a school employee, a thorough investigation asks what the employing district knew, when it knew it, and what it did to protect students. When an employee has worked at more than one campus, as Kaylor did in the Ontario-Montclair School District and previously at Alta Loma High School in the Chaffey Joint Union High School District, those questions can extend to each district where the employee worked. Our team reviews hiring records, prior complaints, and internal communications to uncover the full picture. Learn more about how we handle these claims on our school sexual abuse page.
California has some of the strongest civil protections in the country for survivors of childhood sexual abuse. The deadline that applies to you depends on when the abuse occurred:
This matters for former Alta Loma High School students who are now adults. Even if many years have passed, you may still have time to seek justice. Adult survivors can also learn more on our sexual assault page. Claims involving public entities such as school districts can include additional procedural requirements, and this area of law continues to change through new legislation and court decisions. Speaking with a lawyer early is the best way to protect your rights.
A civil lawsuit is separate from any criminal case. It does not depend on whether charges are filed or whether there is a criminal conviction. Civil cases use a lower burden of proof, and they focus on compensating survivors and holding responsible individuals and institutions accountable. Depending on the facts, recoverable damages may include:
Beyond financial recovery, civil lawsuits often force institutions to change their policies, improve background screening, and strengthen supervision so that other children are protected in the future.
Many families worry that coming forward will expose their child to public attention. California courts routinely allow survivors of sexual abuse to file lawsuits under a pseudonym such as Jane Doe or John Doe, and the identities of minors are protected. At Dordulian Law Group, every consultation is completely confidential. You decide what happens next.
Dordulian Law Group is led by Sam Dordulian, a former sex crimes prosecutor and Deputy District Attorney for Los Angeles County. As a prosecutor, Sam spent years in the courtroom holding sexual predators accountable and fighting for child and adult victims. He has won more than 100 jury trials, maintains a 98% winning record, and has helped recover more than $150 million for clients.
Today, Sam leads DLG’s SAJE Team, a dedicated group of sexual abuse lawyers, investigators, and support professionals who focus on representing survivors. Here is why families in Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, and across California choose DLG:
Jason Kaylor, 45, of Rancho Cucamonga, was the principal of Vineyard STEAM Academy in Ontario, California, a TK through 8th grade school in the Ontario-Montclair School District. He previously served as principal of Alta Loma High School in Rancho Cucamonga. He was arrested in Costa Mesa on August 17, 2026, on suspicion of attempting to meet a minor for lewd purposes.
As of September 8, 2026, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office had not filed charges. The Costa Mesa Police Department investigation is ongoing, and Kaylor is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Yes. California school districts can be held liable when they negligently hire, supervise, or retain an employee who sexually abuses a student, or when staff fail to report suspected abuse as mandated reporters. Learn more about school sexual abuse claims.
No. A civil lawsuit is separate from a criminal case. It can move forward whether or not criminal charges are filed, and it uses a lower burden of proof.
For abuse that occurred before January 1, 2024, survivors generally have until age 40, or five years from discovering their adult psychological injury, whichever is later. For abuse on or after January 1, 2024, AB 452 eliminated the civil time limit. Because deadlines can depend on the specific circumstances, survivors should speak with an experienced sexual abuse lawyer about their case.
In most cases, no. California courts routinely allow survivors to file under a pseudonym such as Jane Doe or John Doe, and all consultations with Dordulian Law Group are confidential.
Consultations are free and confidential. Call (866) GO-SEE-SAM to speak with a member of the SAJE Team.
If your child attends or attended Vineyard STEAM Academy, if you are a former Alta Loma High School student, or if you have concerns about interactions with Jason Kaylor or any other school employee, you do not have to face this alone. The SAJE Team is ready to listen and help you understand your options.
Call (866) GO-SEE-SAM or visit dlawgroup.com today. We proudly serve families in Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, Upland, Montclair, and communities throughout San Bernardino County, the Inland Empire, and all of California.
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