Tammy Gabel resigns after second week in school year
Gilroy – While students here settled into their second week of school, one principal was already packing up her belongings.
Tammy Gabel, who replaced retired educator and current school board president Pat Midtgaard in 2003, resigned from her post as Antonio Del Buono Elementary School principal last week.
The former elementary school teacher, now serving in the administrative sector for a school district in Northern California’s Gold Country notified the district of her intentions during the summer. Her family had purchased and relocated to a home up north and the new job enabled Gabel to join them.
“It wasn’t a total surprise,” said Linda Piceno, assistant superintendent of human resources. “We knew that she was looking.”
The district began advertising the vacancy in late July and place an Aug. 18 deadline on applications. Numerous applicants sent in resumes, and in the end two candidates were interviewed by a panel comprised of district officials, parents, teachers, classified employees and a board member.
After the panel recommended that the two candidates move forward, the individuals were interviewed by a subcommittee. And Superintendent Edwin Diaz is expected to place his final stamp of approval on the hiring by the end of this week.
While the district wraps up the hiring process, Velia Codiga is covering as principal. Codiga, ADB literacy facilitator, has some experience in the position having served as the relief principal whenever Gabel stepped off campus.
In addition Dom Galu, a former Gilroy Unified School District principal, is helping run the show.
Since her contract began on July 1 and expired June 30 of next year, Gabel did have to request that the district free her from the written agreement. That the district had to begin searching for a replacement mere weeks before school started was an inconvenience but the decision was made in Gabel’s favor.
“It’s always a tough call to release an employee from a contract and you have to look at each one of them individually,” Piceno said. “In this case her family had already moved out of the area, and she did tell us over the summer … It would be pretty tough to deny it.”
Midtgaard, who served on the interview panel, said a principal’s sudden departure at the onset of the school year does disrupt business somewhat but “if the right candidate comes along … who has the energy and motivation,” everything is bound to run smoothly.
Antonio Del Buono opened its doors in 2000. Midtgaard was the northend elementary school’s first principal before Gabel took over.
