Novato District Fills 5 Previously Frozen Administrative Positions

NOVATO, CA — The Novato Unified School District has filled five previously frozen administrative positions.

The NUSD Board of Trustees announced the hires Tuesday during a regular board meeting, district officials said.

Stefanie Parnell was named principal of Hamilton School (K-8), Allie Greene as a Novato High assistant principal, Francesca Whitcomb as director of human resources, Mike Saisi as director of student services, and Anna McGee as wellness specialist.

Parnell has served as Hamilton’s interim principal since last year. She previously served as assistant principal at the school for eight years and taught math at Sinaloa and Hill middle schools before that. She replaces Principal Steve Hospodar, who resigned in August.

Greene will assume her new role the next year, district officials said.

She comes to the NUSD from the West Sonoma County Continuation School, where she served as principal for two years.

She previously was a vice principal at Santa Rosa High School and assistant principal at Terra Linda High School. She replaces Greg Fister who resigned in January.

Whitcomb has served as human resources manager at Healdsburg Unified School District for the past seven years. She previously worked in Human Resources at San Rafael City Schools and the Novato Unified School District. She replaces Jonathan Ferrer who resigned in June.

Saisi was served as assistant principal at Sinaloa and Hill middle schools.

He began his career at NUSD teaching math at Hill Middle School.

His position is being reinstated after the elimination of two Education Services positions (director of student success and the assistant director of special education).

McGee will coordinate the NUSD’s mental health services. She has been a counselor at Novato High School since 2018 after serving in that role at the Madrone Continuation High School and the San Ramon Valley Unified School District.

“I am so excited to promote and welcome these professionals to our district! Most are Novato residents or current employees and want to give back to the community through their professional talents. We are delighted to have them join our team,” Superintendent Jan La Torre-Derby said in a statement.