Louann Carlomagno presided over her first school board meeting on Tuesday night at which her contract was unanimously approved by the trustees. She uttered a quick, “I’m in,” to laughter from those in attendance. The particulars of the contract include an annual salary of $155,000 for the remainder of the 2009-2010 school year, paid retroactively from the date of hire on January 13. Next year, the contract stipulates that the superintendent’s salary will be increased to $165,000, pending an overall satisfactory evaluation.
Carlomagno shared her vision for the school district, which includes keeping all options open to students when they graduate from Sonoma Valley High School. “We want all students to be college and career ready when they leave the high school.” She plans on holding ‘brown bag’ lunch meetings at al the school sites to connect with staff members, visiting all service departments, starting a superintendent’s blog and meeting with other constituents in the district like PTOs and ELAC.
In the search for a new high school principal, there are currently 22 candidates; 16 male and five female. Of the candidates, there are a number of PhDs, Masters degrees, an MBA, and several EdDs. The experience level of the candidates is diverse including but not limited to one current superintendent, one executive director, two consultants, high school principals and middle school principals. Thirteen candidates are from California; the rest from Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, Arizona, Illinois and one from Spain. Only two of the candidates are bilingual which Carlomagno called, “unfortunate.”
The paper screening process will begin this week. Interviews for approved candidates will be held on February 18 with a recommendation brought before the board that evening.
In other news, former principal of Flowery School, Joyce Schipper, will come out of retirement to fill Carlomagno’s previous position as director of curriculum and instruction. The fence at the high school is being installed and a new watering system that hopes to reduce water usage for landscaping by 40 percent is being put in place. If successful, the watering system could be integrated into the school garden project.
Creekside students Lizet Munoz and Sam Murillo were honored as Students of the Year. Principal Paul Touhy gave the school site report on Creekside stating that he was thankful that the board decided to keep cuts to the school at a minimum.
