Directory – Newark Unified School District

Name	Position	Department	Phone Number	Email
Ray J. Rodriguez	President, Term Ends Dec 2020	Board of Education		[email protected]
Nancy Thomas	Clerk, Term Ends Dec 2022	Board of Education		[email protected]
Elisa Martinez	Board Member, Term Ends Dec 2022	Board of Education		[email protected]
Lucia Gutierrez	Board Member, Term Ends Dec 2020	Board of Education		[email protected]
Bowen Zhang	Board Member, Term Ends Dec 2020	Board of Education		[email protected]
Patrick Sanchez	Superintendent of Schools	Executive Cabinet	5108184112	[email protected]
Leticia Salinas	Associate Superintendent of Educational Services	Educational Services	5108184201	[email protected]
Jessica Saavedra	Executive Director of Human Resources	Executive Cabinet	5108184242	[email protected]
Khai Nguyen	Chief Business Official	Business Services	5108184115	[email protected]
Charlene Aquino	Executive Assistant to the Superintendent and Board of Education	Executive Cabinet	5108184112	[email protected]
Sarah Wilson	Administrative Assistant	Business Services	5108184115	[email protected]
Laura Johnson	Administrative Assistant	Human Resources	5108184242	[email protected]
Vacant	Administrative Assistant	Educational Services	5108184201
Kim Lola	Director of Fiscal Services	Business Services	5108184116	[email protected]
Amy Black	Director of Teaching and Learning	Educational Services	5108184113	[email protected]
Jennifer Willis	Director of Special Education	Special Education	5108184209	[email protected]
Robin Sehrt	Director of Special Projects	Educational Services	5108184196	[email protected]
Larry Simon	Director of Instructional Technology	Educational Services	5108184198	[email protected]
Leonor I. Rebosura	Director of East Bay Induction Consortium	East Bay Induction Consortium	5108184145	[email protected]
Jessica Ricketts	Administrative Assistant	Special Education	5108184209	[email protected]
Debbie Romero	Classified HR Manager	Human Resources	5108184244	[email protected]
Susan Condon	Director of MOT	Maintenance, Operations and Transportation	5108184277	[email protected]
Vacant	Coordinator of Pupil Services	Educational Services	5108184226	[email protected]
Nidia Sanchez-Rico	Childcare Coordinator	Child Care	5108184159	[email protected]
Carol McElhaney	Budget & Position Manager	Business Services	5108184117	[email protected]
Mechele Oliveira	Print Shop Supervisor	Graphic Arts	5108184219	[email protected]
Olivia Rangel	Program Specialist	Special Education	5108184205	[email protected]
Julie Radcliffe	Certificated HR Technician	Human Resources	5108184243	[email protected]
David Mellons	Software Support Specialist	Technology	5108184199	[email protected]
Maria Rivas	Offset Press Operator	Graphic Arts	5108184150	[email protected]
Kathy Canario	Administrative Secretary	Child Care	5108184138	[email protected]
Kadie Gilroy	Administrative Secretary	Maintenance, Operations and Transportation	5108184276	[email protected]
Miranda Dinsmore	Assessment Technician	Educational Services	5108184147	[email protected]
Jodi Croce	Student Development Technician	Educational Services	5108184202	[email protected]
Liz Cesco	District Accountant	Business Services	5108184123	[email protected]
Sharon Tokubo	Account Technician	Child Care	5108184223	[email protected]
Stella Sung	Account Technician (Accounts Receivable)	Business Services	5108184133	[email protected]
Jayne Billmann	Account Technician (Accounts Payable)	Business Services	5108184121	[email protected]
Mary Bingham	Payroll Technician	Business Services	5108184119	[email protected]
Annette Rucker	Payroll Technician	Business Services	5108184118	[email protected]
Adrienne Notarte	Staff Secretary II	Maintenance, Operations and Transportation	5108184275	[email protected]
Laily Haidarian	Substitute Placement Clerk	Human Resources	5108184171	[email protected]
Donna Hanifin	Staff Secretary I	Human Resources	5108184103	[email protected]
Patrice Ottavis	Administrative Secretary	Special Education	5108184208	[email protected]
Agnes Lopez	District Nurse	Special Education	5108184146	[email protected]
Brandon Hoehn	Information Technology Technician	Technology	5108184194	[email protected]
Long Vo	Information Technology Technician	Technology	5108184194	[email protected]

President, Term Ends Dec 2020

Ray J. Rodriguez

Ray J. Rodriguez has been serving the Newark community as a School Board Member of the Newark Unified School District since 1995. In his tenure, he has been President several times.

Throughout his career, Mr. Rodriguez has demonstrated a strong dedication and commitment to ensuring educational equity and quality of life in the community. Mr. Rodriguez has served in various City committees since 1990. He has been President of the Mission Valley ROP, and has chaired a County-wide Hispanic Scholarship Program. Mr. Rodriguez has also been part of the League of Volunteer (LOV) Newark’s Advisory Board and many of its programs.

Mr. Rodriguez’s role in education coupled with his entrepreneurial background, as a Business owner in Newark since 1984, have promoted and strengthened local public-private partnerships. As an example, he collaborated in the founding of Avanzando, Newark. Avanzando encourages excellence through mentoring, art, tutoring, parent education and recognizing those who participate in the empowerment of the Latino community.

Ray J. Rodriguez has always been motivated in serving his community, and he is well known for being a problem-solver and reaching out for families in need. He has served as a Deacon in a local church.

Mr. Rodriguez moved to California from New York City in 1973. Three years later, he moved to Newark because he wanted to raise a family in a safe and nurturing environment. He has seven children and five grandchildren. Eight have graduated from Newark schools, two have college degrees, and five are presently attending college.

Mr. Rodriguez is a Vietnam Veteran, serving our country as a U.S. Marine Corps sergeant.

Clerk, Term Ends Dec 2022

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Nancy Thomas

Nancy Thomas is a Board Member at Newark Unified School District, and has served in this capacity since 2002. During her tenure, Ms. Thomas has held various leadership positions impacting the District. She has been on the Board of the Mission Valley ROP, and participated in the City/District Joint Task Force on Youth Issues. She has also been a member of the Alameda County Board Association.

Ms. Thomas is proud of contributing to the passage of Measure G, Newark Quality Education and Safe Classrooms, in 2011. Another notable accomplishment was her work as Co-Principal Investigator on a $7 million NSF Math Science Partnership Grant and Noyce Supplemental Grant in which Newark science teachers participated.

Making a difference in education is a driving force in her career and further demonstrated by Ms. Thomas’s work in the California State Boards Association (CSBA), where she is currently a Representative to CIF Federated Council. She is currently a CSBA Delegate Assembly Member for Region 7B Alameda County.

Ms. Thomas is actively involved in the Newark Rotary Club and Newark Optimist Club. Currently, she is a Board member of Kidango, as well as past Board Member of RAFT (Resource Area for Teaching) and BSCS (Biological Sciences Curriculum Study).

Ms. Thomas received her undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering from San Jose State University and Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University. She retired from Hewlett Packard Company after 25 years of service.

Ms. Thomas is a proud parent and grandparent to three adult children and five grandchildren. She enjoys playing bridge, cycling, and gardening.

Board Member, Term Ends Dec 2022

Elisa Martinez

Ms. Elisa Martinez has been a resident of Newark for close to 25 years. She has two children attending Newark schools. She is a strong supporter of public education and believes wholeheartedly that the best results come from a close collaboration among school administration, teaching staff and the community. Ms. Martinez graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with a degree in Psychology. Professionally she serves as a process improvement expert across many industries.

Board Member, Term Ends Dec 2020

Lucia Gutierrez

Ms. Lucia Gutierrez is an alumni of Newark schools. She was an undergrad at Notre Dame de Namur with double majors in Political Science and History, and graduated with Cum Laude Honors. She graduated from law school in 2013. Lucia has done a lot of work with Newark’s youth and wants to continue helping students become productive citizens with a high-quality education.

Board Member, Term Ends Dec 2020

Bowen Zhang

Mr. Bowen Zhang moved to Southern California when he first came to America at the age of 17. He moved to the Bay Area to attend the University of California at Berkeley and received a bachelor’s degree with double majors in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science. After graduation, he started his professional career as a software engineer. Mr. Zhang bought a home in Newark in 2012. After working several years, he received his master’s degree in Software Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. Bowen will begin a new post in March as a software engineer.

Superintendent of Schools

Patrick Sanchez

Pat Sánchez was selected as Superintendent at Newark Unified School District in 2016, bringing with him over 20 years of comprehensive administrative experience and a proven track record of transforming four inner city schools and one inner city school district through collaborative leadership and community engagement.

Superintendent Sánchez is committed to enabling a “student-serving” culture, and building strong parent-community ties. He views shared leadership and collaboration as essential elements to empowerment and excellence for all children.

Superintendent Sánchez strives to make a difference in the lives of people, and his hard work has been widely recognized at the highest levels. Most recently, he was named Latino Superintendent of the Year by the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS) in 2015. Former President Obama recognized him as a Champion of Change – which included an invitation to the White House to share ideas and insights. Former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan applauded Superintendent Sánchez with national recognition for his collaborative work, and encouraged replication of his model of supporting parental involvement and engendering community support across the country.

Prior to coming to the Newark Unified School District, Superintendent Sánchez served as Superintendent of Adams County School District for four years, Colorado’s 26^th largest school district serving more than 7,500 students annually. There, nearly 90 percent of students qualified for free and reduced lunch, about 87 percent of the students were children of color, and approximately 55 percent of the students were English-language learners. In this role, Superintendent Sánchez implemented numerous reforms to transform this historically low-performing district. Through addressing racial educational disparities, providing access to culturally-responsive learning environments, and implementing powerful instructional strategies to facilitate seamless English-language acquisition he spearheaded meaningful changes to create an environment of high expectations for students and staff.

Throughout his career, Superintendent Sánchez has demonstrated a deep commitment to working with traditionally marginalized students in inner city schools. His extensive educational background includes time spent as a central office administrator in Human Resources, principal of three high schools, principal of one middle school and other key leadership roles. He also served as a Career and Technical Education Teacher, State Director of the Vocational Industrial Clubs of America and Assistant State Director for Trades and Industry for the Colorado Community College system. Superintendent Sánchez also worked in Central America for the American School of Guatemala as a secondary principal and transportation director.

Of personal significance, Superintendent Sánchez’s rich background speaks to his deep rooted understanding of the value of higher education. Originally from San Luis, Colorado, he is the youngest of seven children and the first person in his family to graduate from high school, college, and to receive a graduate degree. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in secondary industrial science and a general education license from Colorado State University. He obtained a vocational instructor license in trades and industry. Superintendent Sánchez completed his Master of Arts in administration, supervision and curriculum development at the University of Colorado at Denver, and went on to obtain his professional principal license.

In his free time, Superintendent Sánchez enjoys spending time with his two children, hunting, fishing and hiking.

Associate Superintendent of Educational Services

Leticia Salinas

Since 2017, Leticia Salinas has served as Associate Superintendent for Educational Services in Newark Unified School District. She brings over two decades of experience as a teacher, lecturer, principal, supervisor of K-12 schools, human resources leader, and English Language Learner program expert.

As Associate Superintendent for Educational Services, Ms. Salinas oversees Special Education, Pupil Services, Technology, East Bay Induction Consortium, curriculum and instruction, assessment, textbooks, school supervision, enrollment, student placement, parent engagement, and behavioral/mental health services. In her role, she supports the integration of standards, standards-based curriculum, research-based instruction, professional development and accountability. She is also responsible for auxiliary services including research, categorical compliance, special projects, and the District English Learner Program Advisory Committee (DELAC).

Prior to joining NUSD, Ms. Salinas served as Assistant Superintendent, Human Resources in Hayward Unified School District and as Assistant Superintendent, Elementary LEAD with San Francisco Unified School District.

Ms. Salinas holds a Bachelor’s of Arts in English, with a minor in Spanish literature from the University of California, Berkeley. In addition to several teaching credentials, she also earned a Masters of Arts degree in English from California State University, Hayward. As a leader in her field, Ms. Salinas has completed executive programs at Stanford University and Harvard University.

Executive Director of Human Resources

Jessica Saavedra

Responsible for the overall operation of the Human Resources Department; affirmative action and sexual harassment officer; uniform complaint officer; contract management; grievances; collective bargaining; employee discipline; new employee recruitment and selection; new teacher training; Peer Assistance and Review; Student Teacher program

Chief Business Official

Khai Nguyen

The CBO’s current responsibilities include overseeing all business services for the district: management of the district’s Budget & Fiscal Services, Internal Auditing, Purchasing, Payroll, Insurance, Risk Management and Student Information Systems functions.

Executive Assistant to the Superintendent and Board of Education

Charlene Aquino

Charlene Aquino provides executive administrative support to the Superintendent and Board of Education. She is responsible for District-wide communications including management of the district website and supports the Superintendent in maintaining good public relations. Ms. Aquino handles formal complaints, public records requests, maintains board policies and the Guide for Parents and Students. She manages all coordination of Board of Education agendas and minutes and maintains cloud-based board management service which houses Government Agendas, Minutes, and Board Policies.

Administrative Assistant

Sarah Wilson

Administrative support to the Chief Business Official; contracts/agreements; facility use permits; developer fees; risk management; insurance; archives

Administrative Assistant

Laura Johnson

Oversees and coordinates all generalized Human Resource Office functions; serves as Director’s primary assistant; prepares Board recommendations; coordinates all certificated and management interviews; manages applicant files

Administrative Assistant

Vacant

The Administrative Assistant supports the Associate Superintendent of Educational Services and other leadership, organizes events, monitors budgets, processes contracts, supports district leadership meetings, prepares Board items, manages calendars, and coordinates purchases for Educational Services.

Director of Fiscal Services

Kim Lola

Oversees business services department; budget; purchasing; payroll; bank reconciliation; accounts payable; journal and cash transfers

Director of Teaching and Learning

Amy Black

Supports Newark schools in ongoing improvement through cycles of inquiry focused on effective instruction, student learning, and professional development. Directs the administration, analysis and reporting of state and local testing programs. Coordinates the selection and implementation of new curriculum, School Accountability Report Cards (SARCs), report cards, grading, School Plans for Student Achievement (SPSAs), and instructional interventions.

Director of Special Education

Jennifer Willis

Responsible for oversight of all district Special Education programming and services, pre-school through high school; coordination of Section 504; ensure due process for Special Education and Section 504 Programs.

Director of Special Projects

Robin Sehrt

Director of Instructional Technology

Larry Simon

Responsible for all aspects of information technology for the district; planning, implementation, support and maintenance of computer systems, data networks, software, business system, student information system, library system, e-mail system and Internet access.

Director of East Bay Induction Consortium

Leonor I. Rebosura

Leonor manages and directs East Bay Induction Consortium (EBIC), which support teachers in public, private and charter schools. EBIC provides two teacher induction programs that provide a pathway for teachers to clear their preliminary teaching credentials and earn a professional clear credential. EBIC develops, coordinates and conducts professional development events integrating adult learning structures and philosophy. EBIC provides coaching and technical assistance for site administrators and district personnel on the induction process, the implementation of the California Standards for the Teaching Profession and the Standards of Quality and Effectiveness for Professional Teacher Induction Programs. Newark Unified School District is the Lead Educational Agency of EBIC.

Administrative Assistant

Jessica Ricketts

Secretary to the Director; budgets; non-public school contracts; administrative support.

Classified HR Manager

Debbie Romero

Oversees office functions relating to classified employees: personnel tracking; fingerprinting and tuberculin testing; salary placement, advancement and professional growth; classification / reclassification; evaluation cycles; new employee processing; personnel files; workers compensation administration; coordinates all classified interviews

Director of MOT

Susan Condon

Responsible for oversight of District’s maintenance, opertions and transportation; utilities; safety program; security; storm water management; A.H.E.R.A compliance; hazardous material management.

Coordinator of Pupil Services

Vacant

The Coordinator of Pupil Services administers various student and family programs, including the School Attendance Review board (SARB), suspensions and expulsions, foster youth and homeless programs, enrollment, school safety, home teaching, and student health. They also supports district programs and services for students and families such as dental programs, emotional and mental health programs, parent partners, and attendance support initiatives.

Childcare Coordinator

Nidia Sanchez-Rico

Budget & Position Manager

Carol McElhaney

Oversees payroll and position control

Print Shop Supervisor

Mechele Oliveira

Program Specialist

Olivia Rangel

Responsible for student program placement, procedures/questions for IEP’s, and home instruction students.

Certificated HR Technician

Julie Radcliffe

Oversees office functions relating to certificated employees: personnel tracking; fingerprinting and tuberculin testing; salary placement, advancement and professional growth; evaluation cycles; credential monitoring and renewal; new employee processing; personnel files; CBEDS/CSIS Coordinator; coaches

Software Support Specialist

David Mellons

Student Information Systems; CALPADS reporting

Offset Press Operator

Maria Rivas

Administrative Secretary

Kathy Canario

Administrative Secretary

Kadie Gilroy

Respond to questions and requests for emergency and non-emergency issues; dispatch personnel; purchase supplies and coordinate contracted services; track budgets; work order billing; state reports (pesticides, fuel, UST, etc.) ID badges; district cell phones, assist HV/AC field technician with Alerton program.

Assessment Technician

Miranda Dinsmore

Miranda Dinsmore is committed to supporting parents and students, all school sites, and Educational Services. She provides technical support for state mandated and district assessment programs including CA Assessment of Student Progress and Performance (CAASPP) including Smarter Balanced, CAA, CAST, CA English Language Development Test (CELDT), and Physical Fitness Testing (PFT). She maintains the Online Assessment and Reporting System (OARS), and supports i-Ready and the ELA and Math district benchmarks assessments. Additionally, she supports the preparation and maintenance of a variety of data reports, records, presentations, and files related to state and federal assessments and accountability.

Student Development Technician

Jodi Croce

The Student Development Technician reports to and supports the Student Development and Pupil Services Coordinator, as well as provides support for Categorical Compliance. This includes the School Attendance Review Board (SARB), suspensions and expulsions, foster youth and homeless programs, enrollment, school safety, home teaching, and student health, as well as district programs and services for students and families.

District Accountant

Liz Cesco

Pupil attendance accounting; benefits accounting; retiree benefits; general accounting functions

Account Technician

Sharon Tokubo

Account Technician (Accounts Receivable)

Stella Sung

Deposits; donations; cash receipts; utilities accounting; purchasing requisition review/approval

Account Technician (Accounts Payable)

Jayne Billmann

Pays vendor warrants; check requests; reimbursements; petty cash

Payroll Technician

Mary Bingham

Payroll for employee last names starting with L – Z

Payroll Technician

Annette Rucker

Payroll for employee last names starting with A – K

Staff Secretary II

Adrienne Notarte

Respond to questions and requests for emergency and non-emergency issues; dispatch personnel; responsible for district transportation; scheduling, billing, contracted bus trips; track M.O.T. attendance; including site custodial attendance and sub-custodial issues; work orders; contracted services; pesticide notifications and assist HVAC field technician with Alerton/Syserco systems control program.

Substitute Placement Clerk

Laily Haidarian

Coordinates placement of certificated and classified substitute employees; tracks employee attendance, including leaves and absences; manages Subfinder system

Staff Secretary I

Donna Hanifin

Front desk, reception and support to the Human Resources Department

Administrative Secretary

Patrice Ottavis

Special Education transportation, record requests, SEIS System, information, and administrative support.

District Nurse

Agnes Lopez

District Nurse