I just love our community … I love our schools , and the work that I do to support them .
Julie Zintsmaster
MORGAN HILL UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
Moving from Chicago to Morgan Hill in 1986 , Julie Zintsmaster immediately started volunteering in her children ’ s classrooms , never realizing that it would lead to a career at the Morgan Hill Unified School District .
For the past 11 years , she has served as the executive secretary for four different superintendents at the Morgan Hill Unified School District .
“ I jumped in and started volunteering and this is where it led me ,” Julie , 65 , said motioning to the conference room at the school district office . “ But it ’ s been great .”
Originally from Columbus , OH , Julie and her husband Logan relocated to Morgan Hill with their three children after Logan accepted a job as an electrical engineer at a Silicon Valley company .
A stay-at-home mom , Julie volunteered at her two oldest children ’ s school , P . A . Walsh , taking her 22-month-old daughter with her . A year later , she became the president of the home and school club for four years , and also served on the school site council , the year-round school committee , and the Morgan Hill School Board from 1992 to 1996 .
After one term on the school board , Julie worked on communications projects for the school district from 1998-2002 , including a quarterly newsletter that was mailed to 20,000 Morgan Hill residents .
In December 2002 , the former assistant to the superintendent retired . At that time , only two people had served in that role , Julie said . The first was Ruby King , who Julie said held the position before the Morgan Hill Unified School District formed in 1966 . Pat Alligood held the job from 1994 until 2002 . Julie said that she was hopeful that she would get the job .
“ I had to go through the whole interview process . I was elated when I was selected ,” Julie said , explaining that the job matched her skill set perfectly .
“ I just love our community ,” she said . “ I love our schools and the work that I do to support them .”
Julie ’ s job includes scheduling and keeping track of the superintendent ’ s and school board ’ s calendar , event planning , travel arranging , and coordinating everything needed for two board meetings a month , including putting together agenda packets and ensuring they are published 72 hours prior to the meeting . She also takes meeting minutes , gathers information , writes agenda items , and works with the Registrar of Voters to coordinate the board member elections every two years . In addition , Julie organizes the orientation for new board members , including the annual California school board member conference , and works closely with the secretary of the assistant superintendent of business services . She is also the point of contact for any communication from the school district office .
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I just love our community … I love our schools , and the work that I do to support them .
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“ Anyone who calls from the newspaper or TV or radio , they all funnel through the superintendent ’ s office . It stays pretty busy ,” she said .
Julie said she is grateful that the job also helped her and her husband pay for their children ’ s college education and three weddings .
She said she has seen plenty of changes during her tenure , including Burnett and Encinal elementary schools closing and the opening of Sobrato High School .
“ I think my favorite part of the job is being a significant part of the community of Morgan Hill and beyond , and being able to interact with the city , police department , parks and recreation , and all of the different community agencies . We just have so many incredible people in this town ,” Julie said .
She said she particularly loves anything to do with the students , especially when they make presentations to the Board .
“ I ’ m usually hanging on every word . They ’ re so amazing ,” Julie said , adding that it makes her think that “ we ’ re in good hands ” when she sees the students and hears about all of their accomplishments .
Julie is retiring at the end of this year , on December 30 , a month following her 66th birthday . She said her husband officially retired this past year and she looks forward to spending more time home with him . She also said the long hours and taxing schedule have become too much .
“ Physically I can ’ t keep up with this job anymore …. its not fair to me and my health ,” Julie said .
Julie said she looks forward to spending more time volunteering at St . Stephen ’ s Episcopal Church , where she and her family have been members since 1997 . Julie is the church treasurer and plays in the bell choir , which her husband directs . She also enjoys playing the flute , which she took up about five years ago , as well as gardening and sewing .
One of the hardest parts of retiring , Julie said , will be not seeing people who feel like family , like Superintendent Steve Betando .
But Julie said that she has been working with a fabulous person since 2009 who has been appointed to her position and will do a great job .
“ I have to let go ,” she said . “ And with our kids out of town , I ’ d love to take off and see them more often .” Julie said she also has siblings back east whom she would like to visit .
Julie said she looks forward to a trip to England in the immediate future visiting friends and taking the tube to Paris .
“ It ’ s just a whole new step ,” Julie said . “ It ’ s like from being single to getting married , from having children to being an empty nester … and now we ’ re retired ,” she said .
S U M M E R 2 0 1 4 M O R G A N H I L L T O D A Y
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