People Watch
School Administrator, February 2018


Mauricio Arellano
The 21,000-student Redlands Unified School District has welcomed a new superintendent in Mauricio Arellano, a lifelong California educator. Previously, he served as assistant superintendent of human resources for the Palm Springs Unified School District for 14 years. During a 12-year tenure in the San Bernardino City Unified Schools, Arellano served as district director of personnel. He recently completed a three-year term on the board of directors of the Association of California School Administrators. He joined AASA in 2017.
 

 

Karen D. Cheser
In her 25th year in public education, Karen Cheser assumed the superintendency of the 3,100-student Fort Thomas Independent Schools in Fort Thomas, Ky. She most recently served as deputy superintendent/chief academic officer and assistant superintendent in Boone County, Ky. She has held numerous other posts in K-12 education, including curriculum director in Campbell County, Ky., after teaching there previously. A member of AASA since 2013 and a member of the inaugural Aspiring Women Leaders cohort, Cheser earned her Ed.D. from Northern Kentucky University. 




Elizabeth L. Freeman
The former curriculum director at Fremont School District 79 in Mundelein, Ill., Elizabeth Freeman, has been promoted to assistant superintendent of innovative learning, teaching and technologies. Freeman previously was the director of curriculum and assessment services in Rochelle, Ill. She earned her Ed.D. in curriculum, instruction and educational psychology from Loyola University of Chicago. An AASA member since 2016, Freeman received recognition as one of AASA’s Aspiring Women Leaders. 

 


Zachary J. Templeton
Zach Templeton has been promoted from assistant superintendent to superintendent of the 2,300-student Mexico School District 59 in Mexico, Mo. Templeton earlier served as high school principal and superintendent of the 820-student Maries County R-II District in Belle, Mo. He also served as a principal in the Cole County R-1 Schools in Russellville, Mo., and taught middle and high school math in Jefferson City, Mo. Templeton earned an Ed.D. in education leadership from St. Louis University and has been a member of AASA since 2009. 
 

 



SIDELIGHT
When it comes to fighting real fires or putting out metaphorical ones in his 740-student school system in southwest Washington, Chris Rust doesn’t think twice about which is harder. “My professional work,” says Rust, 60, an AASA member since 2016. “Fire-fighting is just one of the ways I serve my community.” Shortly after relocating to Toledo, Wash., three years ago to take the superintendency, the longtime educator was approached by his neighbor about joining the Lewis County Fire District 2 to help effi-ciently respond to calls in their remote area. Rust is the son of a retired elementary principal-turned volunteer fire commissioner and nephew of a fire chief, so he figures he carries the genes for answering the call. Rust doesn’t typically respond to emergencies during work days, but he occasionally teaches fire safety to students. “If calls come in while I’m being a superintendent, I have to let somebody else take those — unless it’s at one of my schools!”











APPOINTMENTS
Gary Anger, from superintendent, Zumbrota-Mazeppa Public Schools, Mazeppa, Minn., to superintendent, Shakopee, Minn.
Brian Bailey, from assistant superintendent to superintendent, Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk Central School District, Ravena, N.Y.
Erik Burmeister, from assistant superintendent to superintendent, Menlo Park City School District, Atherton, Calif.
William Collins, from program coordinator of graduate educational leadership programs, St. Lawrence University, Canton, N.Y., to superintendent, Parishville-Hopkinton Central Schools, Parishville, N.Y.
Gudiel Crosthwaite, from deputy superintendent to superintendent, Lynwood, Calif.
Christopher J. Fritsch, from assistant superintendent, Longview, Wash., to superintendent, Pendleton, Ore.
Daniel Gallagher, from assistant superintendent to superintendent, Little Elm, Texas
William P. Haws III, from assistant superintendent, Chichester School District, Aston, Pa., to superintendent, Bangor, Pa.
Jim Johnson, from superintendent, Monticello, Minn., to associate professor, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minn.
Jarod Mendenhall, from superintendent, Broken Arrow, Okla., to chief of governmental affairs, Mesquite Independent School District, Mesquite, Texas
Brian Misfeldt, from superintendent, Antigo, Wis., to superintendent, Bloomer, Wis.
Gerard Poole, from assistant superintendent, Freeport, N.Y., to superintendent, Shoreham-Wading River Central Schools, Shoreham, N.Y.
Steven Rioux, from assistant superintendent to superintendent, Killingly, Conn.
Jeffrey Sortisio, from principal to superintendent, Fredonia, N.Y.
 
 
RETIREMENTS
Colleen Taggerty, superintendent, Olean City School District, Olean, N.Y.
Johnny L. Vesselka, executive director, Texas Association of School Administrators, Austin, Texas


DEATHS
Craig S. Collins, 58, superintendent, Lake Geneva, Wis., Oct. 7
Robert Winter, 74, retired superintendent, Glynn County, Ga., and former AASA Executive Committee member, Oct. 3


 
News about AASA members’ promotions, retirements, honors and deaths should be addressed to: Editor, School Administrator, 1615 Duke St., Alexandria, VA 22314. Fax: 703-841-1543. E-mail: magazine@aasa.org