DEPASQUALE TO RETIRE FROM CASTAIC DISTRICT.

Byline: Eugene Tong Staff Writer

CASTAIC - The Castaic Union School District's education chief, Diann DePasquale, is retiring this summer after seven years of overseeing curriculum and instruction.

DePasquale, 56, will finish her stint as assistant superintendent of education June 30. The district plans to divide her responsibilities among three administrators rather than hire a replacement.

``I feel I'm part of the family here,'' she said Wednesday. ``We all look after each other because it's a small and rapidly growing district. Every day is developing a new way to do things.''

An educator for about 31 years, DePasquale left her post as a Hueneme School District principal to join Castaic in 1997. In the then-new assistant superintendent post, she helped overhaul curriculum and teacher training in kindergarten through eighth grade just as the state began adopting standards assessment and high-stakes testing.

``I believe it was her leadership that was the stimulus for ... the significant success of our students,'' said Bill McDermott, assistant superintendent of business. ``She's very much the cheerleader. She gets everybody involved and gets everybody excited about what we're all here for, which is to educate the students.''

Inheriting DePasquale's responsibility as director of curriculum is Mary Strawser, currently in charge of new teacher training. Lisa Bloom, who oversees home schooling and independent study, will assume the post of coordinator of extended learning. Castaic Elementary School Principal Mark Evans will monitor testing and assessment.

The job-sharing scheme was adopted as a cost-saving measure, McDermott said.

``It's a financial decision,'' he said. ``It appears in the next couple of years the income that is required to run high-quality programs will be greatly cut back.''

DePasquale, who will retire to Cambria, leaves behind a district steadily meeting the challenges created from an influx of new residents and the state budget crisis. Castaic officials have been busy working to finance new classroom construction and retain programs threatened by budget cuts.

Meanwhile, plans by the William S. Hart Union High School District to build a high school in the area could lay the groundwork for the Castaic school district to split off from the rest of Santa Clarita.

``I really do believe the district will double or triple in the next decade,'' DePasquale said. ``The potential of being a K-12 unified district definitely exists. ... I really see this whole area growing tremendously.

``One of the things that's going to be a challenge is they're going to need to hire staff quickly. It's going to be a challenge to put the right people in the right places as the district grows.''

McDermott said he hopes DePasquale will remain a consultant with the district during the transition, though the exiting assistant superintendent said she was looking forward to spending time with her family, including her two grandchildren.

``This is something I'm really going to enjoy,'' she said.

Eugene Tong, [phone]

eugene.tong(at)dailynews.com