People Watch

Taking on the role of superintendent for the Salem County Vocational Technical School and Special Services School Districts can seem like a daunting task. The combined districts include four schools and several satellite programs sprawling throughout Salem and Cumberland counties, serving more than 1,000 students.

Watching Executive Principal Ron Woodard walk the halls of Maplewood High School is like a flashback to a time when schools were small and the person in charge knew everyone’s name and family story, too.

John Fitzsimons took the reins of the Parsippany-Troy Hills School District Tuesday. Fitzsimons, who retired in 2011 as superintendent for the Lawrence, N.Y. school district, officially began his position as interim superintendent on April 23 following the departure of Lee Seitz. Seitz, who announced his retirement effective May 15, left the district Tuesday to exhaust his unused leave.

Smithtown Superintendent Anthony Annunziato created a new administrative staff position on Tuesday night, promising its the first of many reorganizational changes to come. Deborah Vertovez was appointed interim assistant superintendent starting May 6.

The school board has named Hayward USD Superintendent Donald Evans as its only finalist in a search to fill the top job in Berkeley.

Cody Hemric, the former assistant principal, will step in to the fill the shoes of former principal Junior Luffman.

Lincoln (Neb.) Public Schools will have two former Omaha-area school administrators on its executive team. Liz Standish, 38, controller for Omaha Public Schools since 2007, was hired as the district’s associate superintendent of business affairs, replacing Mark Shepard. Shepard will return as the school district’s associate superintendent for a year, then will become superintendent.

According to district board president Steve Sabo, the Niagara-Wheatfield (N.Y.) Central School District will have a full-time superintendent when the school year begins in September. Sabo confirmed the school board was to appoint its next leader at its meeting on Thursday night.

Tim Wilson will step into Carrollton (Mich.) Public Schools in July as superintendent. The district, which is just outside Saginaw, hired the Clinton High School principal on Monday, according to Carrollton school board president Phillip Abney.

“This was a very thorough search, and Mark Kleinhans is definitely the leader we need to have on board."