District’s new lead educator to head west next month
SMMUSD HDQTRS. — Looking for an experienced educator with a proven track record of raising student achievement and collaborating with teachers, students and their parents, education officials on Monday selected a 20-year veteran of public education to serve as the next superintendent of schools.
Dianne Talarico, the lead education official in the Canton City School District in Canton, Ohio, has accepted an offer and is expected to start Aug. 15, said Julia Brownley, school board president.
“I think she philosophically holds the same values that the school board does and the community, and she has been a superintendent for five years in Canton, during which time she has made great strides in closing the achievement gap and raising achievement for all students,” Brownley said.
Talarico is known for getting her district off the state’s academic emergency list, raising student achievement and graduation rates, and managing a $200 million renovation of the district’s facilities.
Talarico, who served as a special education teacher, principal and associate superintendent for the San Francisco Unified School District before becoming the top educator in Canton in 2001, will replace former Superintendent John Deasy, who left Santa Monica-Malibu in April to fill a similar position in Prince George’s County, Md.
Mike Matthews, formerly the assistant superintendent of human resources, has served as interim superintendent since Deasy’s departure.
Talarico comes to Santa Monica from a school district she once attended. Canton City is said to be similar in size to Santa Monica-Malibu, with approximately 11,000 students, two high schools, four middle schools, 17 elementary schools and an early childhood education center, according to the district’s Web site.
School board members in Canton could not be reached for comment on Monday. However, at least one member, Nadine McIlwain, reportedly said on a previous occasion that she wanted her colleagues to make a counter offer and retain Talarico.
“She is an outstanding superintendent,” McIlwain said last weekend, in an interview with The Repository, a newspaper in Canton. “I think if board members are willing, we can offer her something. I think we can offer her something to keep her in Canton — she’s a real asset.”
District officials have not settled on a salary for Talarico, but school board members said they will want to stay competitive with other districts and should offer something comparable to Deasy’s salary, which was more than $150,000, including bonuses.
Talarico, who was recruited by the firm of Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates during a nationwide search, was picked from more than 60 candidates. That group was narrowed down to five applicants who most closely represented the qualities expressed by parents, staff, students and community leaders during a series of meetings this past spring.
The school board interviewed the candidates twice and conducted reference checks and site visits on two of the most promising candidates. The search was confidential.
Oscar de la Torre was one of the school board members who visited Canton and interviewed school board members there, as well as principals, teachers and community members to get a better picture of Talarico. Kathy Wisnicki, vice president of the school board, also attended.
“One of the things that impressed me, and something which we heard from everyone we spoke with, is that Ms. Talarico put the students first,” de la Torre said. “She would always ask the question, ‘Is this good for students?’ She would not compromise a program, a policy and initiative that is going to have a positive impact on young people … I think we’re headed for more national recognition.”
Talarico, who is married to Enrique Navas-Vásquez, a specialist in school business services, began her career as a special education teacher in Ohio, was a principal and special education teacher in San Francisco, and was principal of the American Overseas School in Rome, Italy, for a year. While in San Francisco, she also was an adjunct professor at San Francisco State University, district officials said.
Talarico received a bachelor’s degree in elementary and special education from Bowling Green State University, and a master’s degree in educational administration from San Francisco State University.
As superintendent of Canton schools, Talarico provided the leadership that resulted in raising academic achievement at every level and the high school graduation rate by 25 percent, district officials said. She also was instrumental in establishing partnerships with local colleges, the business community and education foundations to initiate an early-college high school program and a pre-school-through-college compact to entice students to graduate and continue their education.
Talarico’s administration also secured $42 million in competitive grants, oversaw a $178 million reconstruction project and secured voter approval of a $7 million annual tax levy, all while curbing expenditures and streamlining district operations.
That is particularly important for Santa Monica-Malibu, as the district is heavily involved in a community-wide effort to shape the future of school construction and land use for the next 20 years. The school board also is considering whether or not to place a bond measure on the ballot to fund new school construction and maintenance.
“Her connections with the grant community will be very helpful for us as we move forward,” said school board member Emily Bloomfield. “She has been extremely successful in getting grants for her community, which shows that she is a hard working and intelligent person.”
Canton schools also have seen significant advances in the utilization of technology for instruction and improved home-school communication.
Talarico will have some significant challenges ahead of her, school board members said.
She will have to become familiar with the district fairly quickly, as school starts in September. She also may be called on to fill key leadership positions at Santa Monica High School and John Adams and Lincoln middle schools.
Then there is the issue of a November bond measure and the district’s facility master plan process.
“She’s really going to have to show strong leadership without much time to get to know her way around,” Bloomfield said. “But we’re confident and enthusiastic.”
The school board will officially approve the selection Thursday during a special meeting that will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the board room at the district’s central office, 1651 16th St. To welcome Talarico, a reception for central office and school-site administrators and union leadership will be held at 4 p.m., according to information released by the district.
A community-wide reception is planned for the coming weeks.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 18, 2006. Read the original PDF.