CARDIFF BY THE SEA — The superintendent of the Cardiff School District announced recently he will be leaving in July for the top
educational post in Alpine.
Superintendent Tom Pellegrino was named superintendent of the Alpine Unified School District on May 3 after only three years in Cardiff. Pellegrino said the new job will be a good move in terms of district size and challenge. “I’m looking forward to a new adventure,” he said.
However, he said he keeps a special place in his heart for Cardiff. “I’m proud to have been a part of an organization that has really put kids first,” he said.
As was the case before Pellegrino was hired, some parents wonder why the district does not put a portion of the superintendent’s salary back into the classroom should the new candidate accept additional responsibilities as a principal or business manager. The two-school district with 730 elementary students relies heavily on parent donations to supplement, and in some cases fully fund, educational programs.
A precedent exists for combining the district’s top educational and administrative posts. Joe Fazio served as a budget director and superintendent in the 1990s. The savings realized from such a combination of administrative duties could put money into funding a full-time physical education teacher, technology programs, language studies and music programs according to some parents.
Cardiff district trustees began discussions on how to find their next superintendent at a school board meeting May 12.
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