Berkeley Unified School District is promoting two of its school principals to new district-level director positions.
Longfellow principal Pat Saddler will be the director of special projects and programs, and Jefferson principal Maggie Riddle will be the director of schools, both in the Educational Services Division. BUSD Board President Josh Daniels made the announcement at the board’s regular meeting Wednesday night.
Both Saddler and Riddle will report to the district’s new Assistant Superintendent, Pasquale Scuderi, who, it was announced earlier this month, is moving to the district from Berkeley High where he has been principal for the past four years.
Pat Saddler came to Berkeley in 1999 as LeConte Elementary School principal. She was asked to take the helm at Rosa Parks Elementary School in 2005. At Rosa Parks she established an API score for a school that had not historically participated in California Standards Testing (CST), and gained 36 points over a three-year period. In 2008 Saddler became principal at Longfellow Middle School.
In her new role as director of special projects and programs, Saddler will direct, coordinate and monitor the implementation of federal, state and district requirements related to educational planning and accountability. This includes directing processes to ensure quality, compliance and accountability of all programs outlined in the Single Plans for Student Achievement and the Local Control and Accountability Plan.
Maggie Riddle began her teaching career in 1993 and joined the Jefferson Elementary School staff in 1996. She remained in the classroom until 2007, when she was named principal.
As director of schools, Riddle will be supporting preschool through eighth grade principals with strategic instructional leadership, operational management, and family and community engagement with the goal of meeting annual targets for school climate, student achievement, and closing the achievement gap.
“I believe that we have some real movers and shakers in the organization already, so I’m glad for the opportunity to promote from within,” Superintendent Donald Evans said in a statement. “I’m looking forward to seeing the work of these two in their new roles in the years ahead. We have a lot of work before us, and these steps are only making our team stronger.”
Replacements for the two open principal positions have not been announced.
Related:
Berkeley High Principal Scuderi moves to Assistant Superintendent (05.01.14)
Illegal enrollment is boon and burden to Berkeley schools (04.08.14)
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