MUSD hires quartet of leaders for 2021-22 year

With administrator Luis Lopez shifting back to middle school leadership to partner with Principal Casey McMurray at Rancho Milpitas Middle School, Parwinder Johal was named new principal at Spangler Elementary School, after serving as MUSD’s Coordinator of Literacy/Intervention/EL for the last five years.

Johal’s educational path with 25 years in MUSD includes teaching positions at Spangler and Rose Elementary Schools before serving as assistant principal at Joseph Weller Elementary School and eventually moving to the district office.

“My greatest joy has been partnering with staff to create affirming and inclusive learning environments for students to learn and families to be engaged in,” said Johal. “Our students’ tapestry of languages, cultures, and experiences are assets that I deeply value and build upon to create culturally responsive and equitable learning pathways for all our learners.”

Julianna Flores, who has performed in various teacher leadership roles over her career, makes up the other half of the Spangler admin team as assistant principal. Flores joins MUSD after serving as the First and Second Grade Inclusion Teacher for Los Arboles Literacy and Technology Academy in San Jose.

Flores said she “strives to lead with equity, inclusivity, and collaboration with all stakeholders (and) believes in meeting students where they are, listening to student voices, and working with school personnel to enhance the learning experiences and learning environment for students.”

Priti Johari was selected as MUSD’s Executive Director, Learning & Innovation, a new position that will co-lead the L&D department along with recently promoted Executive Director of Inclusive Services for All, Mary Jude Doerpinghaus. Johari, a Bay Area native, comes to Milpitas via Massachusetts, where she served in roles at multiple districts as Chief Academic Officer, Assistant Superintendent, Principal, and Teacher spanning 15+ years in public education.

Johari said she is “passionate about cultivating systems that see, nurture, and affirm the whole child. This means building integrated systems that promote the development of mastery, identity, and creativity across grade levels and subjects in a trauma informed environment.”

Michele Sherer, who has two decades of educational experience as a special educator, mentor, principal, and credential instructor, was chosen as the new assistant principal at Rose Elementary School, where she joins seasoned principal Nanci Pass. Sherer comes to Milpitas after serving as Educator Coach and Preparation Specialist with the Santa Clara County Office of Education-Education Preparation for Inclusive Classrooms (EPIC).

“It is a great honor to have the opportunity to work with a community that values diversity, equity, and inclusion,” Sherer said. “My passion and purpose: equitable access/achievement for all students, retention of educators, and fostering positive school climates.”

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