News
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Posted 7/1/22
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Together with our talented faculty, staff, and students, our principals empower our school community to realize its mission of transforming lives by instilling and inspiring lifelong learning in every student. As we look towards the 2022-2023 school year, the Napa Valley Unified School District is ready for meaningful collaboration, scaffolded challenges, and the continued academic, athletic, and social/emotional advancement of each of our students. Use the links below to learn more about these transformative leaders and their hopes for the exciting year ahead.
Napa Valley Language Academy (NVLA) is pleased to welcome Principal Amy Martinez to campus this fall. Ms. Martinez comes to NVUSD from San Rafael City Schools where she served as assistant principal. She brings an extensive background in language development, including work as an ELD department chair, BTSA provider, Spanish teacher, elementary teacher, and bilingual teacher. She also spent four years teaching first grade in Monterrey, Mexico. Ms. Martinez is dedicated to dynamic leadership that promotes creativity, unity, and a love of learning. We are confident about the year ahead as Ms. Martinez continues this great work at NVLA.
Jessica Mautner joins Snow Elementary School as principal, bringing with her a wealth of training and leadership experience. Jessica has over 20 years of experience teaching Kindergarten, 1st grade, 4th grade, and intervention in the Napa Valley and Calistoga Unified School Districts. She started developing her leadership experience in Calistoga where she was the summer school principal for grades K-12. She continued to develop her leadership experience at the Solano County Office of Education as the curriculum, instruction, and assessment program manager. Since 2015 she has taught as a kindergarten, and 1st grade classroom teacher at Snow Elementary School where she has guided current Snow teachers through the beginning teacher support and assessment program.
She is also an Association of California School Administrators Leading Edge certified administrator, a SeeSaw ambassador, teacher trainer, and has completed multiple Buck Institute Problem Based Learning training academies. Among these myriad accomplishments, Ms. Mautner was also a finalist for the 2019 Napa County “Teacher of the Year.” Ms. Mautner earned her master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Cal State Northridge, graduating with distinction.
As the Interim Principal of Bel Aire Park Magnet Elementary for the 2022-2023 school year, Kim Title brings over 29 years of Napa Valley Unified School District teaching and coordinating experience, specifically with the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. She started her teaching career at Bel Aire Elementary School before moving to Mt. George Elementary for 20 years. Recently she returned to Bel Aire Park where she has continued to hone and develop her instructional leadership experience, IB curriculum knowledge, and focused on building strong relationships with the Bel Aire Elementary community.
Martha Franco joins Willow Elementary School as principal, bringing with her 25 years of experience as a teacher at Shearer and NVLA, assistant principal at El Centro and Salvador Elementary Schools, data coach/intervention coordinator, and, most recently, as assistant principal and then principal at Harvest Middle School. In addition to her strong bilingual instructional leadership experience, she is committed to continuing to build and strengthen the Artful Learning Program. We are confident that with her experience, Ms. Franco will lead Willow Elementary School with a focus on growing a positive school climate and culture, initiating innovative practices that promote student achievement, and building strong relationships with all stakeholders.
Red
wood Middle School Principal Peter Harnack is highly skilled and draws on over a decade of experience as a site administrator and teacher leader in both high school and middle school. He currently serves as assistant principal at Redwood where his student-centered approach and calm, positive attitude have been hallmarks of his leadership style. Peter attributes his early formative years in education to building his philosophy that school should “focus equally on building bright minds and great people.” He brings his strengths in promoting social emotional learning and leading through change to Redwood at the perfect time. We are thrilled that Peter will be able to provide excellent leadership and continuity at Redwood through this time of great transition.
After 22 years as a teacher and leader of the Napa Valley Language Academy (NVLA), Alejandra Uribe will take the next step in her career by becoming the principal at Unidos Middle School. Ms. Uribe’s expertise with dual language immersion, developed at NVLA, will benefit our Unidos students and families while strengthening the program across all of NVUSD. Her experience also makes her the ideal leader to guide non-dual immersion students taking a Spanish class for the first time at Unidos. Ms. Uribe is honored to lead this important work with the community, work that offers educational richness, budding opportunities for students, and builds the social and cultural competence of our entire school community. Ms. Uribe will foster the same culture she cultivated at NVLA, one where student leaders bring authentic integration and voice to our community through shared experiences rooted in language, culture, and art integration.
Abhinav Dev begins as interim principal of New Technology High School (NTHS). Mr. Dev most recently served as an education specialist and credit recovery lead teacher at NTHS. He was the special education department chair and a member of the multi-tiered system of support team and the leadership team. Before coming to NVUSD, Mr. Dev was a special education program specialist in charge of special education programs at multiple locations across three school districts as part of KIPP Bay Area Public Schools. Mr. Dev is well respected by staff, students, and the community of New Tech. His unique perspective and strong relationship-building skills will serve him as he embarks on this new leadership role.
Jessica Hutchinson returns to Vintage High School to take the helm as principal, having many years ago taught French and advancement via individual determination at Vintage. Ms. Hutchinson has nine years of experience as a high school administrator and 12 years as a teacher, coach, and coordinator of college readiness programs like AVID. She uses her deep skill set in analyzing data, building systems, and executing detailed implementation plans to ensure high achievement for all students while remaining a thoughtful and measured individual who strives to understand all points of view. She does not shy away from tough decisions. Ms. Hutchinson has a high degree of integrity and is committed to putting the welfare of students and staff first.
