UPPER LAKE — With a new school year just around the corner, Upper Lake High School”s new superintendent is getting settled in and ready to guide this rural district.
Patrick Iaccino (pronounced “I-see-no”) has held posts as a teacher, vice principal and principal in alternative, special education and comprehensive programs.
Prior to coming to Lake County Iaccino was the assistant principal for two years at a public high school called Desert Pathways, located in Quartz Hill, within Antelope Valley Union High School”s District of eight high schools.
There Iaccino received a 20-year service award for consecutive service in the Antelope Valley Union High School District.
“We give this award for someone who is dependable, ethical and loyal,” said Tim Azevedo, assistant superintendent of Personnel Services with the Antelope Valley High district.
Azevedo, who has known Iaccino for about 12 years, said Iaccino is very passionate about kids and teaching.
Desert Pathways” student-to-teacher ratio was 5-1, and the school had less students in the classroom than most. Before that, Iaccino”s prior position as principal was at a high school with approximately 3,000 students and 200 teachers and professional staff, compared with Upper Lake High School”s approximately 360 students and 20 teachers and professional staff.
Jerry Boudreaux, Upper Lake High”s former superintendent who retired earlier this summer, said that during his two years of service most of the district-level issues had been addressed, which will allow Iaccino to focus on the site (school) level.
“I believe this is true,” said Iaccino. “I was a principal for eight years. I”m accustomed to this. Jerry had a better understanding from a district level. I need to learn from the superintendent level. Working at the site level there are a lot of people involved, but from a superintendent”s seat it is a bit different and my learning curve is vertical.”
Iaccino comes into the superintendent”s office at a time in which ULUHS is facing the additional challenge of accreditation this year; the last time ULHS faced this was six years ago.
Then there is the business of contract negotiations with the district”s teachers. Iaccino is scheduled to meet today with school attorney John Drummond, business director Sue Milhaupt and two board members who are on the district”s negotiating team.
“Right now our teachers” contract is at an impasse and mediation is currently scheduled for Sept. 14,” Iaccino said, adding, “Our greatest asset is our teachers.”
Can Upper Lake High”s teachers expect raises this year?
“I”m a big believer in involving people in the process,” Iaccino said. “We will open up the budget to scrutiny and try to educate people as to how budgets work. If there is room for particular types of raises and we can do that then we will do that.”
He added, however, that his main objective is to, “Keep the kids in focus.”
In order to do this Iaccino is enacting change. “Next Wednesday we will present our goals and objectives strategic plan for 2006-07 to the board,” he said. “We are hoping to officially adopt this plan at the October board meeting. We will also be doing a needs assessment to help develop programs.”
As to the subject of matching up the curriculums of the Northshore”s three school districts — Lucerne Elementary, Upper Lake Union Elementary and Upper Lake Union High ? with a view to possible unification, Iaccino said, “Even though we do not have a unified school district we all need to work closely to develop a plan for K-12. Communication is the key to the students” success.”
Contact Cynthia Davis at cdavis@record-bee.com.
