Turlock Unified School District is positioned to continue the success seen in a new era of leadership following the Board of Trustees' decision to remove the interim status of Superintendent Dana Salles Trevethan's title, effective through June 30.
“I am honored and elated to lead from the very top. I am confident that when surrounded by a dedicated Board, passionate staff and a supportive community, the task of putting students first and staff a close second will continue to guide our District,” said Trevethan.
Trevethan was appointed as Interim Superintendent in March 2015, a week after former superintendent Sonny Da Marto announced his intent to retire at the end of the academic year. To help aid their decision, Board members at the time took into account many of Trevethan’s strengths, including her strong and effective communication and leadership skills, shared-decision-making style and desire to build capacity within others.
Trevethan has over 26 years of experience as an educator in TUSD. Prior to her position as Interim Superintendent, Trevethan served as Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, an English teacher, tennis coach, Dean of Students, Assistant Principal and ultimately, as Principal at Turlock High School for 11 years. Before making her transition to TUSD, Trevethan served as a middle school language arts teacher and athletic coach in Winton and Gustine.
Over the last 10 months, Trevethan has led the District in all aspects of administration, finance, educational services, business services and human resources. Under her leadership, the District partnered with the City of Turlock to implement the first Farm to Family Feast, which celebrated the ongoing progress of the District Farm by providing free New Year's meals to 600 individuals; carried on the expansion of the dual immersion program at Osborn Two-Way Immersion Academy, which surpassed maximum capacity this year; and helped appoint two new Board members.
The success fostered by Trevethan can be seen at any Board of Trustees meeting, where she has garnered the respect of seasoned and novice members alike.
“Ms. Trevethan has the trust and respect of the school board and the employees of the District through her tireless energy and commitment to the well-being of the students and employees of this District,” said Board President Frank Lima. “Ms. Trevethan has the energy, vision and talent to lead our District to the next level. She has the inter-personal skills and integrity to build relationships with all stakeholders, including students, parents, staff and community members, and she remains committed to maintaining and developing further collaborations with the City of Turlock and CSU Stanislaus.”
“In my few months of serving as a TUSD trustee, I have been impressed with Ms. Trevethan’s passion for student success, her professionalism and her strong credibility in the community because of her proven history of service to students and staff in the district,” said Trustee Lori Carlson. “She is an excellent leader and communicator, and a strong asset to our district and the community we serve.”
