Schools

Update: Franklin Principal Applied for Reassignment

Nacorda is confident faculty and staff can continue school's progress.

Principal Joseph Nacorda announced to the school's faculty and staff on Friday evening that he would be leaving the school at the end of the current academic year.

In a brief email sent to teachers, Nacorda said that we would be assigned to LAUSD's North Educational Service Center (ESC). According to LAUSD's website, ESC's were established by former Superintendent Ramon Cortines to "assist all current and displaced District employees to address a variety of work-related questions and to access resources."

Nacorda's full email reads as follows:

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This is to inform you that the Superintendent has assigned me to be a High School Director in LAUSD, Educational Service Center, North. 

My last day at Franklin will be June 19th. 

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I will inform you when I have information from the Superintendent regarding the new Principal.

Nacorda began his brief stay as Franklin's Principal at the beginning of the 2010/2011 school year. According to Monica Whalen, Franklin's teachers union representative, he is the 25th top level administrator to lead the school in the last decade.

Nacorda's reassignment comes amidst several other transitions at Franklin High School, including a year-long effort to rebuild its staff and curriculum through Public School Choice and the possible placement of a charter school on their campus.

Update:

Principal Joseph Nacorda on Tuesday afternoon told Highland Park-Mount Washington Patch that he had applied for the High School Director position, and would was "very happy" about the new opportunity.

"In a nutshell, this is a promotion, so I'm very happy about it," Nacorda said. "I'll be overseeing 20 high schools, supervising principals and moving forward district initiatives."

Nacorda said he was confident that the district would be able to install a new principal who would shepherd through the various new initiatives that were started under his tenure, including the shift to block scheduling and the realignment of the school's curriculum through the Public School Choice initiative.

He told Patch that he didn't believe his promotion would be a blow to the schools effort to improve on lagging standardized test scores.

Progress at Franklin High School has been slow but steady since Nacorda took over Franklin High School prior to the 2009/2010 school year, increasing API scores from 640 to 664.

"I know the superintendent has a pool of principals that will be well suited to the job," he said. "They know the work that is going on and they will find someone to continue the trajectory of success. It's not going to change; I believe in the faculty and staff." 

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