Edwin Diaz Named Administrator of the Year

 

The Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) announced today that Superintendent Edwin Diaz, Principal Frances Weissenberger, and the Flintridge Center were selected by the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) in Region XV for outstanding performance and achievement.  All three recipients will be honored at a special ceremony in May.  Both Mr. Diaz and the Flintridge Center are eligible for the statewide award.

“The entire Board of Education is very pleased to offer its congratulations to the PUSD winners who have been honored by ACSA,” said PUSD Board of Education President Bob Harrison.  “These awards are certainly well-deserved, and reinforce what we’ve known for a long time – that we are fortunate to have such high-quality administrators and community partners serving our students.”

Superintendent Diaz, who was appointed Superintendent of the 19,000 student pre-K-12 district in 2007, has been named Administrator of the Year.  With a focused approach on improving student achievement through rigorous instruction, expanding the capacity of the organization and its employees, and meaningfully engaging parents and community in student learning, Superintendent Diaz has reinvigorated the academic achievement of PUSD students. 

“We are fortunate to have a Superintendent whose enthusiasm for educating kids has not waned even in these difficult financial times,” said Mr. Harrison. “He is a man with effective organizational skills and integrity which together equate to a great leader and a role model for our community.”

Student achievement has improved by 52 points on the state’s Academic Performance Index over the past three years, surpassing the state’s rate of improvement.  More PUSD schools have joined the “800 Club,” of schools that are considered high performing.  With better collection of data and administrative teams focused on supporting students when they first show signs of leaving school before graduation, PUSD’s drop-out rate has decreased significantly.

Mr. Diaz also led a major reorganization of the district’s facilities division and the development of the district’s Facilities Master Plan, which involved parents, school staff, and community members.  In 2009, voters approved Measure TT, a $350 million school improvement bond to repair and modernize the district’s aging schools.  To date, 90 percent of projects have been completed on time and under budget.

Hamilton Elementary School Principal Frances Weissenberger has also been selected as outstanding Beginning Administrator.  She was named principal of the Blue Ribbon Award-winning school in 2009. 

This award recognizes outstanding performance and achievement by a new administrator who demonstrates strong support for the school management team, exceptional leadership in managing school programs, commitment to educational quality and student achievement, and creativity and innovation in dealing with issues and problems facing public education.

As an instructional leader, Ms. Weissenberger conducts professional development, models lessons for classroom teachers, leads lesson studies, and lends her expertise to district-level decisions on curriculum and assessment.   She has built community at the campus, gained parent support, and garnered resources for school. Ms. Weissenberger has also partnered with another PUSD school to create a joint professional development model, with a focus on supporting English learners. Her commitment to ongoing communication is demonstrated by a monthly school newsletter, weekly “Hamilton Happenings” e-mails, Sunday evening phone calls to all families, Twitter and Facebook updates. 

Pasadena’s Flintridge Center has won the Partnership in Education award, which recognizes programs and businesses that collaborate with administrators in support of education.  Over the past 25 years, the Flintridge Center’s work and activities have been shaped by the community and its needs.  Its mission has been to improve the quality of life for children, youth and families by initiating and supporting community partnerships, leveraging resources to strengthen nonprofit partners, and providing space for creative collaboration. 

In 2003, the Flintridge Center formed a collaboration of students, community members, and local nonprofit, civic and business leaders to respond to the lack of after-school programs at John Muir High School. This led to the formation of Mustangs on the Move, which provides educational and enrichment activities on Muir’s campus. The impressive list of this program’s achievements includes:

·         Mustangs on the Move’s attendance rate is nearly double the national standard of after-school programs;
·         More than 30% of seniors for the past three years have graduated on schedule after completing math, social science and English credit reclamation classes offered by Mustangs on the Move;
·         Of the ten seniors serving as student advisors during 2009/2010, nine were accepted to four-year universities;
·         Students who regularly participate in Mustangs on the Move programs have a higher school attendance rate than those who don’t. They are also more likely to score proficient or advanced on state tests for all grades.
·         90% of students who completed the Mustangs on the Move preparation class for the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) passed one section and 78% passed both sections.

The Association of California School Administrators was established in 1971. ACSA is the largest umbrella organization for school leaders in the nation, serving more than 16,000 school leaders. ACSA Region XV serves 56 school districts in northern Los Angeles County including cities such as Pasadena, Pomona, Palmdale, West Covina, Burbank, El Monte, Santa Clarita, Lancaster, Glendale, La Puente, Whittier and more.