A familiar face will step in as deputy superintendent while the
school district searches for a permanent replacement.
A familiar face will step in as deputy superintendent while the school district searches for a permanent replacement.
After a year and a half of managing more than $200 million for the Gilroy Unified School District, Deputy Superintendent of Business Services Enrique Palacios will take a similar job closer to his Oakland home. Hardy Childers – a former assistant superintendent of administrative services for the Oak Grove School District – will replace Palacios until the district fills the position permanently. Childers also served at GUSD’s interim assistant superintendent for the first half of 2008 during the district’s search that resulted in Palacios’ hire.
Palacios, who earned $177,200 in salary and collected $37,108.25 in medical and statutory benefits annually, according to district documents, will tender his resignation effective Dec. 31. Childers will step in until April 2010 at a rate of $900 per day, according to district documents.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the vacancy had not been posted on EdJoin, the public education job search Web site the district often uses to advertise employment opportunities.
With four children – the youngest is 9 years old and still in elementary school – Palacios, in his early 50s, said cutting his commute from three hours to one hour round trip will be a welcome change in his daily routine. He will be the assistant superintendent for business services for the Pittsburg Unified School District, about 30 miles northeast of Oakland.
“It was a hard decision to make,” he said. “It’s been a great experience.”
Palacios will leave the district feeling good about the changes he made during his tenure, he said.
“Whoever comes behind me will find a different district than the one I found,” he said.
