Tehachapi News

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Tehachapi Unified School District recently welcomed two new employees to the District Office. Bobbie  Wieder accepted the position of Chief Administrator for Personnel Services. An elementary teacher with the district for 19 years, Ms. Wieder comes to the position with a wealth of experience beyond classroom instruction. She has been a Vice Principal at both Tompkins and Cummings Valley Elementary Schools as well as Jacobsen Middle School, the Director of Title I Services at Tompkins, and the chief negotiator for the Tehachapi Association of Teachers. She graduated from Western Michigan University with a B.S. in Communications and English and later earned M.A.'s in Communicative Arts and Education/Education Administration.
When asked why she chose to move into administration, Ms. Wieder explained that she wanted to be a part of the district's vision and plan to go “from good to great.” She is determined to be an efficient and responsible personnel manager so that the system functions well. “My immediate goal is to serve the employees well so that the students have the best educational experience possible,” she said. “If we serve all our employees well, we will better serve the students in our community,” she added. “Happy employees, happy kids,” laughed Ms. Wieder.
Heidi Cunningham joined the district on June 27 as the new Director of Fiscal Services. She has been an accountant for “a couple of decades,” most recently employed at GE. Though majoring in Spanish in Pennsylvania, she graduated from Cal State Dominguez Hills with an accounting major. Ms. Cunningham said she is excited to be working for the district. When asked how she will manage the budget in light of recent State budget cuts, Ms. Cunningham indicated that grants will be important and that spending habits can be tamed with proper management. However, she is a strong supporter of education. “Education and further knowledge is power,” she said. “It is something that helps students in the long run, and I want to be a part of that.”
By example, Ms. Cunningham does indeed support youth in the community.  She recently joined local Civil Air Patrol Squadron 46 as the Finance Officer. “My job is to comply with the CAP finance regulations and ensure that the squadron remains fiscally sound,” she said. It's my way of helping out these very fine young people.” She also teaches children's church and loves to sing and play bass guitar.
Having been successful in filling these two important positions, the district is now looking for candidates for a “teacher on special assignment.” Lisa Gilbert, Chief Administrator for Instructional Services, indicated that this teacher will assist her with curriculum and instructional development training, grant applications, categorical programs, program budgets, state and county reports, and consolidated applications.
This position was approved by the school board on June 30, and the district is anxious to fill the position. “We are looking for a local teacher because of the classroom instructional perspective that he or she will bring to all the details of this job,” explained Ms. Gilbert. For example, the district will be applying for more grants to augment dwindling financial resources. But allocated grants create additional work in the form of ensuring the grant funds are used appropriately in addition to preparing mandatory reports to the funding agency. “We'll keep this person busy,” smiled Ms. Gilbert. “It's a critical position that will benefit the district by enabling us to grow in a methodical, efficient manner,” she added.
Because teachers typically do not check their school emails during the summer, the district is hoping to get the word out and encourage them to apply immediately for this new position. Any teacher interested in the job should contact the district office at 822-2100.