MADERA - The exodus continues at the Madera Unified School District as Associate Superintendent Kelly Porterfield has announced his resignation. He has accepted a position with the Central Unified School District as Assistant Superintendent of Business.
Porterfield said he was recruited by Central Unified after a phone call from the districts superintendent, Mike Berg. Berg was conducting a salary survey of neighboring districts and one thing led to another. He said it was a hard decision for him because his heart is at Madera Unified but this was a good move for himself and his family.
At the June 24th meeting of the Central Unified Board of Trustees, a contract for the position Porterfield will fill was approved. The next day Porterfield interviewed for the position and on the 27th the position was offered to him.
Porterfield was first hired by MUSD as it's faculties director in January of 2003 and promoted to Associated Superintendent of Business in July of 2006. In that time Porterfield has worked to keep MUSD's financial head above water in these trying economic times for education.
Pending Central Unified's board approval, Porterfield will start his new position in August of this year.
Earlier this month Madera Unified Public Information Officer Jake Bragonier resigned his position and accepted a public relations position with Saint Mary's Medical Center's Dignity Health program in San Francisco. Chief academic officer Julia Reese's position was eliminated due to budget cuts.
Other administrative positions at Madera Unified's will be filled by new peoples or remain vacant next school year because of early retirement. Mike Linnemann, director of human resources; Marisa DiMauro, director of special programs; Lupe Rodriguez, director of maintenance; Barbara Gonzalez, director of purchasing; Steve Imrie, director of information and technology.
Madera Unified Superintendent Gustavo Balderas said, "This is a big loss for Madera. Kelly has kept us in the black during the toughest time the district has ever had. I am very happy for him. It is a great gain for Central."