The Board of Education ratified the appointment of Joseph Marik to serve as an assistant principal for Piedmont High School. Marik will replace Irma Muñoz, who was appointed Millennium High School principal in May.
According to PUSD Finance Director, Marik has been an educator for 17 years and has 8 years of administrative experience.
Marik was not at the meeting and PUSD did not provide a bio. Marik’s LinkedIn profile shows he has been the principal at Aspire Lionel Wilson Prep in Oakland for the last seven years, with other teaching stints including Teach for America prior to that position. His profile says he has a degree in economics from Boston College and a masters degree in curriculum and leadership from the University of Memphis.
Farewells to Assistant Superintendent Cheryl Wozniak and Interim Superintendent Donald Evans
The June 28 meeting was the last one for both Wozniak and Evans. Board members and staff thanked Wozniak for her 11 years of work in the district, and noted her commitment to DEI and equity policies and recent work on literacy curriculum and a dyslexia screener as highlights of her work. “You have a drive to make positive change,” said Trustee Cory Smegal, who likened Wozniak’s job at times to pushing a boulder up a hill, particularly during the pandemic. “You revamped the [DEI] policy — it’s a model for other school districts in the state,” Smegal said.
Evans was not able to attend due to a family emergency, but board members all thanked him for seeing PUSD through the post-pandemic transition and the search for a permanent superintendent. “Evans showed me that … when things get tough, you can still be positive and there’s always a way out — with teamwork and listening to people you can get a lot done,” said Trustee Hilary Cooper.