People Watch

Nonprofit after-school robotics organization, FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) announced the appointment of Sheri McCoy and Bob Tuttle as board of directors co-chairs and Don Bossi to serve as president, effective May 22.

The Federal Communications Commission has announced that it has hired Michael Steffan as the director of digital learning. In his new role, Steffen will lead initiatives to expand access to broadband internet in schools.

K12 Inc., a provider of proprietary, technology-based curriculum, software, and education services, today announced that James Rhyu will join the company as executive vice president and chief financial officer in early June.

The Florida Council of Instructional Technology Leaders has named Debbie S. Anderson, a principal in the Santa Rosa School District (Milton, Fla.), 2013 Innovative Principal of the Year. According to the person who nominated her, Anderson "works tirelessly to ensure that technology positively influences student performance, as well as student behavior."

David Miller, who is completing his second year as assistant principal at Monett (Mo.) High School, was named as the new director of the Scott Regional Technology Center, also in Monett, succeeding Russ Moreland.

Amber Chalmers, fifth grade science teacher at Rolling Hills Elementary, has been appointed to serve on the State Review Panel for Proclamation 2014, where she will review and evaluate instructional materials submitted for the November 2013 adoption by the State Board of Education, including science, math and technology applications.

After an extensive search and interview process, Michelle Ament has been hired as the district’s director of technology and learning. This is a new position that was created as part of the restructuring of the district’s technology team, which resulted in a savings of about $300,000 in the technology staffing budget.

Karen Ann Tate, a former executive at two software companies and a former strategic consultant, along with Caitha Calvello Ambler, the Priory dean of middle school who also has taught at the private school and in the Vallejo (Calif.) School District, have been appointed to the Portola Valley (Calif.) School District board to replace board members who resigned this month.

New Superintendent Rick Mills, the former chief executive officer of Minneapolis Public Schools who started in Manatee County on March 20, has recommended former Minneapolis colleague Don Hall, a chief information officer, for one of two deputy superintendent posts he created earlier this month.

After serving nearly 20 years in Mokena, Charles Vitton told the MSD159 Board of Education on April 17 that he was moving on to join outgoing Superintendent Steve Stein at Peotone Community Unit School District 207U as director of curriculum and technology.