School Board Names Cuzzetto as Acting Superintendent

The Board of Directors voted unanimously, 5-0, to appoint Chuck Cuzzetto as acting superintendent for the 2012-2013 school year at the school board meeting last Thursday. 

Cuzzetto, who currently serves as the district’s Deputy Superintendent, will succeed .

“Chuck has been a loyal and respected member of the Peninsula School District since 1999 and has always placed the needs of our students first. His actions and deeds in the district and community speak volumes about his character and integrity,” Bouck wrote on the District’s website Monday.

Prior to the final vote, the Board held a public hearing where some members of the community echoed their decision. Others suggested searching for a new superintendent, which would cost the District at least $20,000, according to board member Rand Wilhelmsen.

Gig Harbor resident Jerry Gibbs, who was in favor of searching for a new superintendent, said the pursuit is worth the cost.

“I don’t think there’s a position in this county that’s more important than the school superintendent. I’d like to see a new leader with new ideas especially toward efficiency and running the school district like a business,” he said.

“I look at the search as an investment. To spend $20,000 or more for a search seems like a great investment to me," Gibbs said.

“I believe we have qualified candidates within the system,” Wilhelmsen said. “We realize that the end of the year is not the best time to go out and do a search, if we wanted to do a search.”

School Board President Jill Uddenberg said appointing Cuzzetto is a win-win scenario for the District.

“We’ll have an opportunity for an evaluation. If the acting superintendent doesn’t work out, then we as a Board will take a look at our other options,” said Uddenberg.

Cuzzetto will serve as acting superintendent, effective July 1, 2012.