With a number of associate superintendents retiring and other high-level administrators moving on to other jobs, the district is hiring new people to take their places.

This turnover is happening at an odd time for the district. With board approval of its long-range plan at the June 29 meeting, several positions will be retooled over the summer to better reflect the district's goals.

The change with the highest profile is at Monta Vista High School. Principal Betty Pow left the school to take the position of director of secondary education in the Fremont Unified School District in Alameda County. The change occurred within the past few weeks, according to Fremont Union's communications manager, Cindy McArthur. "She found a position in another district that she found challenging," McArthur says. "It was a tough decision, but we're happy for her."

Replacing Pow is April Scott, who this past school year worked as the director of Fremont Union's Educational Services Center. Before that, Scott served in the administration at Fremont High School; first, as an assistant principal for three years, and then as principal for two years.

But Scott also has connections to her new school site. She was a mathematics teacher and department chairwoman at Monta Vista for 10 years, and both of her children are Monta Vista graduates.

"She definitely has the qualifications, but it's great for her to have the familiarity and a nice tie to the school," McArthur says. "We don't want to put someone in there who doesn't know the school."

"I'm ecstatic," Scott says. "I live in the Monta Vista community, so in a way, it feels like I'm coming home." She is already meeting with administrators and parents to map out the coming school year.

Due to the abbreviated time period allowed for a principal search, the position is interim; Scott will serve as principal for one school year. At that time, the district will decide whether they want to start a principal search or keep Scott in the position.

Mary Stone, who has also served as Monta Vista's principal, became Fremont Union's associate superintendent in charge of education planning and development in 1999. But now, she is one of three associate superintendents who are leaving the district. Stone and chief business officer Mike Raffetto are retiring, and Pete Tuana, associate superintendent in charge of administrative services, is moving to Oregon to serve as the superintendent of a small school district south of Corvallis.

McArthur anticipates that the three positions should be filled by the July 13 board meeting.

Several other spots have already been filled. Dennis Frese was named director of adult and community education at the June 15 board meeting. He is replacing the retiring Barbara Lacerenza. At the same meeting, Shelby Spain was appointed as the district's director of testing, assessment and guidance. This position has been unfilled for the last several years. Spain will help teachers and principals formulate solutions for students who perform poorly on tests, as well as spearhead the reorganization of the district's guidance program.

A number of changes, like this reorganization, are due to the impending implementation of Fremont Union's long-range plan. "We're doing a lot of restructuring," McArthur says. For instance, the coordinator of student services will now be called the director of educational services to reflect that position's new responsibilities, and Trudy Gross has just been appointed to that position.

San Jose's Andrew P. Hill High School Principal Bruce Shimizu has also been brought on board as the new director of student and community services, a response to goals outlined in the plan. More positions will be announced over the course of the summer break.