Novato schools announce new administrators

New staff members were named this month to various administrative posts at Novato Unified School District for the 2022-23 school year.

NUSD superintendent Jan La Torre-Derby said the staffers will fill previously frozen positions and replace the spots left by recent resignations.

“I am so excited to promote and welcome these professionals to our district,” La Torre-Derby said at the April 19 board meeting when the appointments were announced. “We are delighted to have them join our team.”

Karolina Gage, current principal at Cesar Chavez Language Academy in Santa Rosa, was named principal at Lynwood Elementary School. Lynwood is stepping into its first year as a transitional kindergarten-to-fifth grade dual immersion school next year.

Gage is bilingual and bicultural and has experience learning a second language as a student. She replaces Melissa Diaz, who resigned. Gage, former assistant principal at Santa Rosa High School, will earn $133,701.

Amanda Wagner was named assistant principal at Hamilton K-8 School. Wagner, currently a teacher on special assignment and instructional coach at the Ross Valley School District, previously was a teacher and administrative designee at White Hill Middle School in Fairfax.

Wagner replaces Stefanie

Parnell, who was named principal at Hamilton K-8 School. She will earn $106,656.

John Matern was named assistant principal at Sinaloa Middle School. Matern has been serving as dean at Sinaloa Middle School since January. A 20-year veteran staffer at Novato Unified School District, Matern has served as an English teacher as well as created the Career Technical Education Culinary Program at Marin Oaks High School.

He was also a core and film teacher at Sinaloa Middle School. Matern is replacing Mike Saisi, who was named NUSD director of student services. He will earn $106,656.

Kevin Goyer was named coordinator, special education secondary. He is a program specialist, special education at the San Mateo Union High School District.

Goyer has also served as a resource specialist at Tamalpais High School District and and the Novato Unified School District. He replaces retiree April Port, who has been filling in since the position was frozen earlier this year. He will earn $130,331.

Deborah Baraban and Whitney McEachern will share the position of assistant principal at San Jose Middle School. McEachern is currently the assistant principal but is shifting to two days per week next year.

Baraban is a teacher at San Jose and one of the principals for the Aim High sum

mer school program at NUSD. Baraban will serve as assistant principal three days per week and teach

two days per week at San Jose Middle School. The salary for the assistant principals is $106,656.

This is the second round of new hires at Novato Unified School District. The first round of new staffers was announced in March.