Cindy Didway
The Crane Public Schools in Yuma, Ariz., have a new superintendent in Cindy Didway. She joined the Crane system in 1980 when she moved from New York to begin her teaching career. She took her first administrative post as an assistant elementary school principal in 1985, then moved up to principal two years later. In 1990 she designed and opened a new elementary school before becoming Crane's curriculum director. Didway has served as assistant superintendent since 2001.

John G. Ellis
The new executive director of the Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents, John Ellis, spent the past 12 years as superintendent in Noblesville, Ind., and earlier served in the same post in Jennings County, Ind., for eight years. He was honored as Indiana's 2004 Superintendent of the Year. A 21-year AASA member, Ellis serves as president of the Indiana Coalition of Growing and Suburban Schools. He holds a Ph.D. in educational administration from Indiana State University.

Thomas A. Forcella
After serving five years as superintendent in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, Tom Forcella has assumed the top administrative position in the 2,100-student Region 4 school system based in Deep River, Conn. A public school administrator since 1981, he previously served for five years as superintendent of the Wells-Ogunquit Community Schools in Wells, Maine, and in various administrative roles in Massachusetts and Connecticut. Forcella received an Ed.D. in educational management from the University of Bridgeport.

Magdalene P. Giffune
Magdalene Giffune recently transitioned from the superintendency in Uxbridge, Mass., to the top administrative post in Milton, Mass. Earlier, Giffune worked as assistant superintendent and superintendent in Foxborough, Mass. She is serving as president of the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents in 2004-2005. Giffune holds a doctorate in education from Boston University and has done post-doctoral studies in public policy at Harvard. She teaches at the graduate level.

Mark A. Sposato
The Beekmantown Central Schools in northeastern New York state have a new superintendent in Mark Sposato. He earlier worked in some of the state's big-city school districts, serving as associate superintendent in Buffalo and area superintendent in Rochester. Sposato also filled an elementary school principalship in East Greenbush, N.Y., for 10 years. He holds a doctoral degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo.

Stewart Weinberg
After four years as superintendent of the Ladue School District outside St. Louis, Stewart Weinberg has moved into the superintendency of the Dallastown Area School District near York, Pa. He previously filled superintendent's berths in Fairbanks, Alaska, and Lawrence, N.Y. Weinberg was a high school principal and assistant superintendent in Rockville Centre, N.Y., and spent a year as assistant to the superintendent in West Orange, N.J., about 20 years ago. He holds a doctorate from New York University.

Transitions

Appointments

George Duffy, from superintendent, Riverhead, N.Y., to superintendent, Seaford, N.Y.

Larry Golembiewski, from superintendent, Ringgold School District, New Eagle, Pa., to superintendent, Brownsville, Pa.

Tom Harvey, from superintendent, Sabine Pass, Texas, to superintendent, La Vernia, Texas

H.H. (Buddy) Hooper Jr., from superintendent, Cedar Vale, Kan., to assistant professor of educational leadership and counseling, Texas A&M University, Kingsville, Texas

Tim Lull, from superintendent, Opp, Ala., to superintendent, Walton County Schools, Monroe, Ga.

George (Kip) Reel, from superintendent, Maury, Tenn., to executive director, Tennessee Organization of School Superintendents, Nashville, Tenn.

Joseph Rull, from assistant superintendent to superintendent, Weymouth, Mass.

Roger Thornton, from executive director, Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents, Indianapolis, Ind., to superintendent, Illinois High School District 211, Palatine, Ill.

Retirements

Ray E. Crawford, superintendent, Klamath Falls, Ore., City Schools

Bruce Dennis, superintendent, Bedford, N.Y.

C. Tod Eagle, superintendent, Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES, Spencerport, N.Y.

Richard Fragale, superintendent, Central Union High School District, El Centro, Calif.

Rick Fritz, superintendent, Kane, Pa.

Ann Fuqua, superintendent, Williamsville Central School District, East Amherst, N.Y.

Robert Goldman, superintendent, Regional School District 17, Higganum, Conn.

George Goldstein, superintendent, Sewanhaka Central High School District, Floral Park, N.Y.

Carlos Hicks, superintendent, Gulfport, Miss.

Harvey Hilburgh, superintendent, Bethpage, N.Y.

Ralph Kerr, superintendent, Olean, N.Y.

Martin Lawler, superintendent, Carbondale, Pa.

Deaths

Willard Fox, 84, retired chair of education department, Bowling Green State University, and first president, Buckeye Association of School Administrators, Feb. 26

Stephen Glaza, 90, retired superintendent, Calhoun, Mich., March 22

Eugene Keith, 74, retired executive director, Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administrators, Oklahoma City, Okla., March 12

John Readling, 79, professor emeritus of educational leadership, SUNY Oswego, Oswego, N.Y., May 22

George Sargeant, 62, retired superintendent, Clinton, Mich., March 15

Robert C. White, 82, retired superintendent, Oneonta, N.Y., Dec. 10