Glendale Unified shuffles its people

The reshuffling of the Glendale Unified administrative ranks continued this week as officials confirmed personnel changes at district headquarters and several school sites.

Among the most notable was the appointment of Mary Mason, principal at Keppel Elementary School since 2001, to the top job at Roosevelt Middle School. In 2010, Mason played a central role in securing a $7.5-million grant that transformed three elementary schools into federally designated magnet schools. At Keppel, the funds were used to enhance visual and performing arts programming.

Mason replaces Lynn Marso, who has assumed the title of director of human resources at the district office.

Lise Sondergaard, formerly coordinator of categorical programs and professional development for the district, has been named principal at Keppel.

Valley View Elementary School in La Crescenta will also be under new leadership during the 2012-13 school year.

Adriana Pestonji has been with the district since 1996, working first as a teacher and then as an assistant principal at Keppel and Edison elementary schools. Most recently, she was coordinator of state and federal accountability, assessment and evaluation.

Pestonji replaces Carla Walker, who is leaving Valley View to accept a principalship at John Marshall Elementary.

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For the Record, July 23: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Walker was heading to San Francisco Unified.

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In addition, Doug Dall, principal of Clark Magnet High School since its inception in 1998, will take on the additional title of executive director of instructional support services while continuing in his role at the La Crescenta campus.

“This is an opportunity to take some of the programs and initiatives learned at Clark Magnet to other district schools and grade levels,” Dall said in an email Wednesday. “As a district, we are looking at 21st Century education, including science, technology, engineering and mathematics, virtual classes, capstone projects, career, college and effective citizenship.”

Last month, district officials announced that Deb Rinder would leave the principal job at Glendale High School to fill a new role at the district office overseeing intervention programs. She was replaced by Monica Makiewicz, formerly an assistant and associate principal under Rinder.

Maria Gandera, assistant superintendent of human resources, said that the administrator of planning, development and facilities position, a linchpin in the execution of millions of dollars worth of forthcoming bond-funded projects, remains unfilled. The former administrator, Margaret Brown, left the district in January.