Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District
Press Release: December 20, 2018
ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT EDUCATIONAL SERVICES KIM FRICKER
NAMED SUPERINTENDENT OF TCUSD
Dr. Linsey Gotanda promoted to Assistant Superintendent Role
PALOS VERDES ESTATES (December 20, 2019) -- Dr. Kimberly Fricker, a PVPUSD assistant superintendent for the last two years, has accepted the position of superintendent of the Temple City Unified School District (TCUSD), and Dr. Linsey Gotanda will be assuming her role as assistant superintendent, educational services in PVPUSD pending Board of Education approval, Superintendent Dr. Alex Cherniss announced today. The TCUSD Board of Education has stated that it has selected Dr. Fricker as the finalist for its superintendent position and is set to approve her contract at its upcoming meeting on January 9, 2019.
“I am very excited, and I am looking forward to this incredible opportunity,” Fricker said. “However, this decision was very difficult as I have built many wonderful relationships in this amazing community of educators, leaders and invested parents and I will truly miss everyone.”
Dr. Cherniss stated, “We congratulate Dr. Fricker on her new role and at the same time we are pleased that Dr. Gotanda will maintain the continuity and high expectations for student achievement in PVPUSD.”
Dr. Gotanda earned her undergraduate degree from UC Irvine, holds two master’s degrees, and earned her doctorate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She brings an 18-year commitment to the field of education, serving in a variety of roles including classroom teacher, counselor, site principal and district administrator. She came to PVPUSD as an executive director, secondary education. As a resident of Rancho Palos Verdes, Dr. Gotanda shared, “I am excited and honored to serve as the assistant superintendent, educational services in my own community. I look forward to working closely with Superintendent Cherniss, the Board of Education, and the PVPUSD community to continue providing an excellent education for all PVPUSD students.”
“Obviously, when a hard-working and respected employee like Dr. Fricker leaves the district, we have big shoes to fill. We will miss her a great deal,” said Board of Education President Linda Reid. “However, in Dr. Gotanda we have someone who knows our community, works well with our principals and teachers, and has our students’ best interests at heart as much as Kim does. I expect both of these educators to have great success in their new roles.”
PVPUSD enrolls 11,200 students in grades K-12 and includes ten elementary schools, three middle schools, and three high schools. It was recently rated the #3 unified school district in California by niche.com.