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<\/a><\/p>\n\u201cThere\u2019s moments in time when change is needed, and other moments when change comes along to distract and disrupt the structure that is being forged,\u201d said Lucia Herrera, a parent of two Herrera Elementary School students.<\/p>\n
She was among a crowd of Herrera Elementary parents and staff who petitioned for the school\u2019s vice principal to remain on site. Speakers from Duncan Polytechnical High School and Mayfair Elementary School also voiced opposition, with some becoming emotional during public comment.<\/p>\n
Despite community outcry, the district will not reconsider the lateral movements, which had already been carefully planned, according to district spokesperson AJ Kato.<\/p>\n
\u201cLateral placements occur every year. Healthy cultures are built and sustained by staff, students and leaders, not any one person,\u201d Kato said. \u201cWe are confident that the changes will improve progress and outcomes for all Fresno Unified sites in alignment with our district goals.\u201d<\/p>\n
Administrators at Malloch Elementary School and Turner Elementary School are also among those affected and undergoing reassessment.<\/p>\n
At the time of publication, the district is compiling a comprehensive list of impacted sites.<\/p>\n
Why Fresno Unified Is Reassigning Principals and Vice Principals<\/p>\n
Fresno Unified School District has taken several measures to address a significant budget deficit<\/a>, including offering early retirement incentives<\/a> and eliminating positions.<\/p>\n Employees whose positions were eliminated are going through a \u201cbumping\u201d process, which reassigns them elsewhere in the district.<\/p>\n Early retirements have also opened leadership vacancies, bringing in new principals and prompting the district to pair some new administrators with experienced vice principals.<\/p>\n The district said the reassignments are also driven by community needs, efforts to balance administrative teams, build systemwide capacity, and provide development opportunities for aspiring leaders, according to Kato.<\/p>\n Still, some community members worry the loss of experienced leadership will negatively affect school stability.<\/p>\n Trustee Susan Wittrup said she was disappointed in the reassignment process and said multiple parents contacted her about it, citing a lack of communication.<\/p>\n \u201cI understand the need for changes, but there is a way to go about it that is less disruptive,\u201d Wittrup said. \u201cIt is difficult for the community to understand abrupt changes with no communication.\u201d<\/p>\n Kato said the district began communicating with school sites in February.<\/p>\n \u201cSites were communicated with as they are every time a lateral change is made in administrative staffing,\u201d she said. \u201cThis year, communication to affected school teams began in February, although final placements were recently finalized after hiring all principals at the May 27 board meeting.\u201d<\/p>\n Trustee Valerie Davis said student needs remain the district\u2019s priority.<\/p>\n \u201dStudent outcomes will change when adult behavior change,\u201d she said, repeating the board\u2019s student outcomes-focused governance slogan.<\/p>\n Trustee Keshia Thomas declined to comment. The remaining trustees did not respond to requests for comment.<\/p>\n FTA Gets Involved<\/p>\n