On July 27, the Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees approved 14 administrative appointments, including at Aptos High and Aptos Jr. High.
Rachael Jones
Rachael Jones is the new assistant principal at Aptos High School. She began her career teaching at Aiea Middle School in Hawaii. She has since been a teacher at an alternative school, special education in PVUSD and most recently as a new teacher mentor with the New Teacher Project. She has a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from University of Hawaii at Manoa. She earned her special education credential and her administrative credential from CSU Monterey Bay.
Elizabeth Ettinger
Elizabeth (Liz) Ettinger is the new assistant principal of Aptos Junior High School. She started as a Montessori preschool teacher. She taught at Shoreline Middle School and came to Aptos Junior High School in 2004. Her most recent role was teaching computer science and language arts. She has a bachelor’s degree in history and a single-subject credential from Humboldt State University. She has supplemental authorizations in computer science and English language arts and is enrolled in an administrative credential program at San Diego State University.
Nicole Salles-Cunha
Nicole Salles-Cunha is a program director for special education. Ms. Salles-Cunha has been working with students since 2014 as a special education teacher and instructional coach. She has also been a mentor with the New Teacher Project and most recently was the principal of the Early Childhood Services Special Education program, which operates across 5 campuses. She has a bachelor‘s degree from San Diego State along with a master’s in educational leadership. Her education specialist credential is from CSU Monterey Bay, while her administrative credential is from San Diego State.
Phillip Menchaca
Phillip Menchaca is a program director for special education. He has 20+ years of education experience, most recently as a principal with the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District. He also was a special education program administrator and site supervisor. He has been an alternative program teacher and a site administrator at various schools. He has a bachelor’s degree from National University, a multiple-subject credential from University of the Pacific and a master/s in education from CSU Stanislaus. He is a doctoral candidate with Northcentral University.
Jeanie Aitken
Jeanie Aitken is the new director, Food and Nutrition Services. She has been supervisor of operations for Food & Nutrition Services at PVUSD since 2017. She has 24+ years of management experience including13 years managing school food and nutrition programs. She has an associate’s degree in Culinary Arts and Restaurant Management from Scottsdale Culinary Institute and a bachelor’s degree in health education from Western Michigan University.
Patricia (Trish) Unruhe is the new coordinator of extended learning for migrant education. She has a degree in biopsychology from UC Santa Barbara, a multiple-subject credential with a Spanish bilingual authorization, a master’s in educational leadership from San Jose State University and an administrative credential. She started as a science naturalist for an Outdoor School. She has been a bilingual teacher, literacy coordinator and a migrant teacher for afterschool programs.
Sergio Ambriz is promoted to supervisor, maintenance. He has worked for the PVUSD for 5 1/2 years as a maintenance specialist with a broad background in various trades such as plumbing, carpentry, and HVAC.
John Navarrete has been appointed supervisor, maintenance. He previously worked in the construction trades He brings a knowledge of OSHA safety regulations. Working for commercial building companies, he supervised staff and led large construction projects. He has a bachelor’s in project management from the University of Nevada Reno and has certification in HVAC and Refrigeration.
Rebecca Milburn is the new principal of MacQuiddy Elementary School. She has served students since 1992 as a classroom teacher, intervention teacher, English learning specialist and most recently as the Academic Coordinator at MacQuiddy Elementary. She has a master’s Degree and an administrative credential from Concordia University and a bachelor’s in Spanish and Latin American studies from Cal State Chico. Her multiple Subject Credential and Spanish bilingual authorization are from UC Santa Cruz.
Susan Graulty is the new principal of New School. She started her career as an instructional aide in Fishers, Indiana, in 2002. Since then, she has been a music teacher, a 3rd, 4th and 5th grade teacher, social studies, and PE teacher as well as a Career Technical Education instructor in the juvenile justice system. She has been the coordinator of VAPA and GATE services for the last 6 years at PVUSD. Growing up in a family music business, she was a professional flutist in the Illinois Air National Guard, retiring in 2000.
Esmerelda Flores is the new academic coordinator at Radcliff Elementary. A graduate of Pajaro Valley High, she attended CSU Monterey Bay where she earned her bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and her credentials for multiple subjects and administration. She started in 2007 as a student helper with the extended learning program. She moved into a teaching role at Radcliff in 2014.
Jorge Bermudez will be assistant principal at Rolling Hills Middle. A graduate of Pajaro Valley High, he was a teacher at New School. Before that, he taught 6th and 7th graders in Washington State. He also served as the lead academic intern for the Gear Up program at Watsonville High. He has a bachelor’s in psychology from UCSC, and is working on his master’s in educational leadership from CSU Monterey Bay.
Judith Woods is the new assistant principal of Lakeview Middle School. She joined the school in 2003, working as activities director, department chair, Washington DC trip lead teacher and has been on the site leadership team. She has a bachelor ‘s from the UC Santa Cruz in modern literature and a teaching credential from CSU Monterey Bay. She earned her administrative credential from the Leaders in Educational Administration program through Santa Clara County.
Blanca Madriz is the new assistant principal of E.A. Hall Middle School. She graduated from Watsonville High School and got a bachelor’s degree in from CSU Monterey Bay as well as her multiple-subject credential. She has a master’s degree in administration ands supervision and administrative services credential from San Jose State. She joined PVUSD in 2011 as a reading intervention teacher at Hall District. Her most recent role was after school coordinator at E.A. Hall and Mintie White Elementary.