Trustees appointed for Alisal, Greenfield school districts | thecalifornian.com | The Salinas Californian

Trustees appointed for Alisal, Greenfield school districts | thecalifornian.com | The Salinas Californian

Trustees appointed for Alisal, Greenfield school districts

Alisal's Franco will have full executive powers; former San Jose educator to lead Greenfield

BY MIKE HORNICK • MHORNICK@THECALIFORNIAN.COM • MAY 6, 2010

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In Sacramento on Wednesday, the state Board of Education appointed trustees to oversee two troubled school districts in Salinas and Greenfield.

The two women's powers will vary widely.

Norma Martinez of San Jose will lead the Greenfield Union Elementary School District, while Carmella S. Franco of Whittier will supervise the Alisal Union School District in Salinas. Both are bilingual. Both are scheduled to start May 24.

In Greenfield, Martinez will essentially have veto power, leaving the local board otherwise free to manage its own affairs.

The Alisal trustee's powers will reach further.

"[Franco] will assume all the rights, duties and powers of the Alisal school board, including authorities with respect to the district superintendent [John Ramirez]," said Nancy Kotowski, Monterey County superintendent of schools. Kotowski, who attended the Sacramento meeting, has been serving as Alisal's interim trustee.

Franco spent 12 years as superintendent for Whittier City, a K-8 school district in Los Angeles County. Most recently, she served as an interim superintendent at the Woodland Joint Unified School District in Yolo County, where she oversaw 17 schools.

"Dr. Franco has handled some very difficult situations very well," Kotowski said. "She has a record of