As Liberty Union High School District’s new superintendent, one of Jerry Glenn’s first public duties was to welcome all employees of the district back to a new school year at last week’s convocation. Glenn is a familiar face in the district, having been promoted to his new position after serving six years, first as an assistant superintendent and then as an associate superintendent.

As he took the podium, he was greeted warmly by faculty and staff, school board members, Brentwood Mayor Bob Taylor, Contra Costa County School Superintendent Joseph Ovick and other dignitaries.

In light of the current California budget crisis, the mood at the convocation was a bit somber, but Board President Joanne Byer spoke words of encouragement to the educators dedicated to maintaining the high academic standards set in the district: “I want you to know how very, very much we appreciate you, and all that you do. All of us are in this together, and as a team we must provide a quality education for our students.”

New faculty and staff were introduced, and many returning employees were acknowledged for their long-term employment at LUHSD. Glenn also recognized the hard work of faculty and staff that resulted in successful WASC accreditation reviews for Heritage, Freedom, La Paloma and Independence high schools, the “perfect” report card received by the Special Education Department from the California Department of Education, and the enormous effort of many teachers to create Pacing Guides and Common Assessments in order to continuously improve student achievement at LUHSD.