July 2002 News Archive
Wednesday, July 31, 2002
Stanford 9 Home Reports
Stanford 9 Home Reports are scheduled to be mailed out to parents/guardians in the Santa Barbara Elementary and High School Districts during the week of August 12, 2002.
San Marcos High School Leadership Change and
Appointment of Assistant Superintendent of Business Services
This morning, the Board of Education announced the following personnel decisions:
Principal, San Marcos High School
Assistant Principal Moe Claydon was appointed interim principal of San Marcos High School for school year 2002-2003.
The decision comes at the end of a six-week search, which originally yielded 20 applicants. Interviews were conducted
by an 11-member team, which included the superintendent, a principal, two teachers, two Board members, two classified
staff, coordinator of certificated personnel, and two parents. Five candidates were identified from the pool of applicants.
The field was then narrowed to two finalists. Following additional evaluations, including reference checks and a site
visit, the interview panel concluded that the lead candidates had many fine qualities but were not a match for the
position of San Marcos High School principal. The position will be reopened in February or March 2003.
Throughout the nation, it has become increasingly difficult to fill principal positions, especially at the secondary level. A decade ago, it was not uncommon to have 40+ applicants when a principal post became available in the Santa Barbara School Districts. Today, with the increased demands of the job, the number of applicants has dropped to about 20. To address that leadership need, five years ago, the Districts initiated a rigorous, two-year administrative credential program with Cal Lutheran to prepare identified teachers for administrative positions. Sixteen individuals graduated from the program and many have been hired in administrative positions in the Santa Barbara School Districts.
"While it is a disappointment that there was not a fit between the position and the candidates that applied for the job, the interview panel felt that the decision to reopen the position in the spring was in the best interests of San Marcos High School," stated Superintendent Deborah Flores. "The mix of qualities that we seek in a principal is a visionary who can identify and successfully address the needs of a diverse population. Ideally, he or she will be a strong, experienced principal," added Dr. Flores. She continued, "We are very fortunate that Assistant Principal Moe Claydon has agreed to step up to the plate during this interim period. His dedication to and personal commitment to the students and staff of San Marcos is recognized throughout our Districts."
The Association of California School Administrators recently identified Morey "Moe" Claydon as Co-Administrator of the Year at the chapter, regional, and state levels. Mr. Claydon was honored for his ability to involve the community in the life of the school, awareness of current and emerging issues, and success in improving the school’s learning environment. Additionally, he was recently selected by the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) as one of 52 assistant principals from across the United States to be honored in 2002. He was recognized as the 2002 McDonalds/NASSP California Assistant Principal of the Year. As the California winner, Mr. Claydon received a $1,000 award and a plaque from the McDonalds Corporation, the event’s sponsor.
Mr. Claydon has been an educator since 1969. In 1970, he began work at San Marcos High School as a classroom teacher. He taught history, economics, physical education, and health. Mr. Claydon became an assistant principal in 1987. His duties as assistant principal include student activities, senior week activities, grade 12 discipline and attendance, field trips, student identification system, student registration, athletics, and awards assemblies.
Mr. Claydon’s annual salary will be $107,594.
Located at 4750 Hollister Avenue, San Marcos High School serves approximately 2,000 students.
Assistant Superintendent, Business Services
Priscilla Truman Diamond, Assistant Superintendent of Business Services for the Carpinteria Unified School District
will assume the same title and position in the Santa Barbara School Districts. The Assistant Superintendent of Business
Services will be responsible for keeping the Districts financially solvent and serving as the administrative head for
the fiscal services, facilities and operations, transportation, and risk management. Ms. Diamond’s major duties
and responsibilities will include, but are not limited to, the following:
- oversee preparation of the annual budget for the Districts, consistent with the Districts’ goals and objectives, applicable laws, codes and professional accounting standards;
- plan, organize, assign, direct, and review the work of the Office of Fiscal Services and the Office of Facilities and Operations;
- assume responsibility for public financing, including TRANS, COPS, and General Obligation bonds (including analysis, issuance, and reporting);
- manage all risk management programs for the Districts, including property/liability, medical and health benefits, and workers compensation;
- arrange for the annual external audit and assure that audit findings are addressed;
- conduct internal audits as required;
- develop long- and short-range financial plans and budgets;
- oversee the development of long- and short-range facilities master plans.
Prior to joining the Carpinteria Unified School District in 1996, she was the district financial advisor for the Santa Barbara County Education Office; vice president of Santa Barbara Bank and Trust; vice-president of The First Boston Corporation in New York City; and certified public accountant with Coopers and Lybrand in New York City.
Ms. Diamond will begin work on September 3, 2002. Her annual salary will be $116,742.
Santa Barbara Junior High’s Sandy Robertson and Gerrie Fausett Appointed to a National Standards Committee
Santa Barbara Junior High’s Gerrie Fausett, principal, and Sandy Robertson, English teacher, were appointed to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards’ (NBPTS) Adolescence and Young Adulthood/English Language Arts Standards Committee. They will serve on a committee whose purpose is to define the critical aspects of accomplished teaching in the field. The committee is responsible for the revision of existing English language arts standards that serve as the basis for National Board Certification.
"Standards committee members serve as strong ambassadors for the standards they are developing and are valuable resources for school reform initiatives," stated Kate Woodward, NBPTS’s Director of Certification Standards. The NBPTS appointment represents a valuable professional development opportunity for committee members and permits them to make important contributions to their field.
The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is based in Arlington, VA.