Gerald D. Dawkins
Following seven years in the superintendency in Saginaw, Mich., Gerald Dawkins has moved into the top berth of the 43,300-student Caddo Parish Public Schools in Shreveport, La. Dawkins spent the majority of his career in Grand Rapids, Mich., Public Schools, serving in a variety of posts, from teacher to central-office administration, including deputy superintendent. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, he is a native of Spartanburg, S.C. Dawkins earned a doctorate in administration and supervision from Wayne State University.

Jacqueline Forbes
Having served in various administration posts in the public schools of Rhode Island, including the superintendency of the East Providence School Department, Jacqueline Forbes has been appointed to the top berth in the Bridgewater-Raynham, Mass., Regional School District. She began her career as an English teacher at Barrington High School and later served as the principal. At East Providence, Forbes rose through the ranks, having held the positions of director of elementary education, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. She received a Ph.D. from Boston College.

Anita M. Micich
The new superintendent of the Mason City, Iowa, Community Schools is Anita Micich. Previously she served for 13 years in the Des Moines Public Schools as the director of secondary alternative education, principal of Theodore Roosevelt High School and principal/vice-principal at David W. Smouse Opportunity School for students with special needs. Earlier Micich was director of youth music and ministry for Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ in Des Moines. She started as a music teacher in Des Moines. An Iowa native, Micich holds an Ed.D. in educational leadership from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University.

Kerri L. Nazarenus
The 1,600-student South Tama County Community Schools District in Tama, Iowa, has a new superintendent in Kerri Nazarenus. She previously worked for 14 years in the Grand Island, Neb., Public Schools, serving for the past dozen years as director of the English language acquisition program. Nelson previously taught kindergarten and ran an English language learning classroom in Grand Island. She was named the 2006-2007 Grand Island Public Schools Administrator of the Year for professional accomplishments.

Karl Springer
A retired colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves, Karl Springer has taken over as superintendent of the 40,000-student Oklahoma City, Okla., Public Schools. Springer most recently served as superintendent in Mustang, Okla., for the past eight years. Previously he worked for five years as assistant superintendent in Chickasha, Okla., and six years as assistant director of special services in Norman, Okla. Springer, a native of Hollywood, Calif., started his public school career in 1977 as a teacher in Muskogee, Okla., after three years of active duty in the Marine Corps.

Dianne Talarico
After two years as superintendent of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District in Santa Monica, Calif., Dianne Talarico has moved into the top position in the 2,400-student Burlingame, Calif., School District. She earlier spent four years as superintendent in Canton, Ohio. Talarico began her career as a special education teacher in Maumee, Ohio, before spending much of her career in the San Francisco, Calif., Unified School District, holding an array of positions, including three years as associate superintendent for elementary education. She also spent a year as principal of the American Overseas School of Rome, Italy.

TRANSITIONS

APPOINTMENTS
David N. Fischer, from superintendent, Oswego, N.Y., to superintendent, Bellingham, Mass.

Lloyd Graham, from superintendent, Greenville, Texas, to superintendent, La Porte, Texas

Roger Halberg, from superintendent, Kerman, Calif., to superintendent, Dixon, Calif.

Jon Kringen, from superintendent, Mahnomen, Minn., to superintendent, Long Prairie, Minn.

Ira Oustatcher, from assistant superintendent, Clifton, N.J., to superintendent, East Ramapo Central Schools, Spring Valley, N.Y.

Timothy Quinn, from superintendent, Elizabethtown, Pa., to superintendent, Methacton School District, Norristown, Pa.

Jay Scott, from executive director, Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13, Lancaster, Pa., to executive director, Center for Advancing Partnerships in Education, Allentown, Pa.

Jim Simpson, from superintendent, Joplin, Mo., to superintendent, St. Louis, Mo.

Jeffrey Villar, from associate superintendent, Meriden, Conn., to superintendent, Rocky Hill, Conn.

Larry Williams, from superintendent, Sioux City, Iowa, to director, Sioux City Symphony, Sioux City, Iowa

Wayne Wormstadt, from superintendent, Canistota, S.D., to superintendent, Windom, Minn.

RETIREMENTS
Theodore S. Blaesing, superintendent, White Bear, Minn.

Barbara S. Devlin, superintendent, Richfield, Minn.

Kathryn Leedom, superintendent, Willmar, Minn.

Diane Lehse, superintendent, Clearbrook-Gonvick Schools, Clearbrook, Minn.

Bob Lovingood, superintendent, Christian County Schools, Hopkinsville, Ky.

William Stavisky, superintendent, Latrobe, Pa.

Gene Trammell, superintendent, Baldwin County Schools, Milledgeville, Ga.

Charles Webb, superintendent, Appling County Public Schools, Baxley, Ga.

Carol Whitehead, superintendent, Everett, Wash.

DEATHS
Charles Latimer, 84, retired deputy superintendent, Panama Canal Zone, Sept. 12

Edward J. LeBlanc Jr., 64, retired superintendent, Waterville, Maine, Feb. 25

William B. Royster, 85, AASA president in 1984-85 and retired superintendent of Anderson, S.C., School District Five, Sept. 1

News about AASA members’ promotions, retirements, honors and deaths should be addressed to: Editor, The School Administrator, 801 N. Quincy St., Suite 700, Arlington, VA 22203. Fax: 703-528-2146. E-mail: magazine@aasa.org