FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 20, 2022 

NUSD Welcomes Staff

            (Novato, CA) … The Novato Unified School District Board of Trustees named staff to fill previously frozen positions and replace recent resignations at their regular Board meeting on April 19, 2022.

“I am so excited to promote and welcome these professionals to our district! We are delighted to have them join our team,” commented Superintendent Jan La Torre-Derby.

Karolina Gage was named Principal at Lynwood Elementary School.  She is currently serving as Principal at the Cesar Chavez Language Academy in Santa Rosa.  She was previously an Assistant Principal at Santa Rosa High School.  Karolina has experience is starting up schools as Lynwood is stepping into its first year as a TK-5th grade dual immersion school next year.  Ms. Gage is bilingual and bicultural and has experience learning a second language as a student.  She replaces Melissa Diaz who resigned.

Amanda Wagner was named Assistant Principal at Hamilton K-8 School.  She is currently a Teacher on Special Assignment/Instructional Coach at the Ross Valley School District.  She previously was a teacher and administrative designee at White Hill Middle School.  Ms. Wagner believes that every educator has the responsibility to support all students, regardless of their background, in becoming well-rounded, productive members of society.  She replaces Stefanie Parnell who was named Principal at Hamilton K-8 School.

John Matern was named Assistant Principal at Sinaloa Middle School. John has been serving as Dean at Sinaloa Middle School since January 2022.  John has been with the Novato Unified School District for 20 years.  He 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.  John is replacing Mike Saisi who was named NUSD Director of Student Services.

Kevin Goyer was named Coordinator, Special Education Secondary.  He is currently a Program Specialist, Special Education at the San Mateo Union High School District.  He has also served as a Resource Specialist at Tamalpais High School District and and the Novato Unified School District.  He has a vision of whole-student development and loves discovering innovative ways to support children and adolescents in thriving in an increasingly complex world.  Kevin replaces retiree April Port who has been filling in since the position was frozen earlier this year.

Deborah Baraban and Whitney McEachern will be sharing the position of Assistant Principal at San Jose Middle School.  Whitney is currently the Assistant Principal who is shifting to 2 days per week next year.  Deborah is currently a teacher at San Jose and is one of the principals for the Aim High summer school program at NUSD.  Deborah will serve as Assistant Principal 3 days per week and teach 2 days per week at San Jose Middle School.

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Photo included and pictured left to right: Kevin Goyer, John Matern, Whitney McEachern, Deborah Baraban, Amanda Wagner, and Karolina Gage.