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New principal selected for PACT
Stephen Gilbert will lead parent participation program at its new campus

by Casey Weiss

The Mountain View Whisman School District has selected the first principal to run PACT — the popular parent participation program which until recently was housed at Castro School — from its new solo campus near the district offices.

Stephen Gilbert, who served as Castro's part-time assistant principal this year, is the new part-time principal of PACT (short for "Parent Child Teacher") and will oversee the program at its new campus on San Pierre Way beginning in the fall. The campus, which administrators are now calling "Stevenson School," is currently being renovated.

PACT started in the district 13 years ago, but has never had its own campus. Three years ago it moved to Castro Elementary School, but with that school facing overcrowding, trustees decided to move the program once more.

Gilbert has been an educator for more than 19 years and was a principal in the Gilroy School District. He received a bachelor's degree from UC San Diego and a master's from CSU Hayward. Gilbert retired from the Gilroy schools before serving as assistant principal at Castro this past year.

"Mr. Gilbert is an educational leader who possesses outstanding qualification to meet the needs of Stevenson's students, parents and community," Superintendent Maurice Ghysels said in a press release.

Now that Castro's student population is smaller, the school no longer has a part-time assistant principal position. All other principals and administrators are scheduled to keep their positions in the upcoming school year.