The Gilroy Unified School District will be losing one of it’s
seasoned administrators come February.
The Gilroy Unified School District will be losing one of it’s seasoned administrators come February.
After four years as Assistant Superintendent of Administrative Services, Steve Brinkman will be moving south to begin his new position as Chief of Staff for the Pasadena Unified School District.
In the new position, Brinkman will oversee senior management staff and implement a cost reduction and efficiency improvement plan at the district office level. He will be joining former GUSD Superintendent Edwin Diaz, who became PUSD’s superintendent March 9, 2007.
Brinkman earns an annual salary of $129,587 at GUSD. His salary at PUSD was unavailable.
“The position offers Steve a wonderful opportunity from several different vantage points,” stated Superintendent Deborah Flores in a press release. “I am very happy for him but I am also sad to lose such a dedicated, hard-working, committed member of my team.”
*”He has been presented with a wonderful opportunity,” school board president, Rhoda Bress said. “He provided good service to the district in the area of facilities and I wish him the best.”
Bress pointed out that organizations must evolve in order to grow and that the current board is in a very good position to take advantage of this situation as it presents itself. She plans to be very thoughtful in developing a process to fill Brinkman’s position.
“This is very new news but the board will address this situation right away,” she added.
Flores and Bress have discussed the matter and an item addressing the issue will be placed on the Jan. 17 board meeting agenda, Flores said.
“I’m putting out my feelers already,” Flores said. She has a few good candidates in mind for people to fill Brinkman’s position until the board chooses a permanent replacement, she said. She expects the interim assistant superintendent to be at the district for four to six months. Flores faced a similar situation at her previous district when she had to replace her chief business official midyear.
Although Brinkman did not return phone calls, his wife, Anna Brinkman, clarified their family’s plans over the next few months. Brinkman will begin his new job with the PUSD Feb. 4. His wife and 6-year-old daughter will remain in Gilroy for the duration of the school year so as not to disrupt the girl’s schooling. Anna Brinkman is an administrative assistant at the Gilroy Early College Academy. She and their daughter will join Brinkman over the summer.
“This was a good opportunity for him,” Anna Brinkman said. “The timing was right and I’m happy to support him.”
Brinkman will be leaving a relatively new group of district administrators. The GUSD experienced a significant turnover in the past year. Of the superintendent and three assistant superintendents, Brinkman was the only remaining veteran member of the district’s upper-level administration. Deborah Flores replaced former superintendent, Edwin Diaz, Michael Lyons replaced former assistant superintendent of human resources, Linda Piceno and Basha Millhollen replaced former assistant superintendent of educational services, Jackie Horejs.
Brinkman has accomplished many things during his time at GUSD, Flores said. She pointed to his implementation of a comprehensive facilities master plan that has resulted in outstanding facilities throughout the district as his most significant accomplishment.
“He will do a great job until he leaves,” she said.
