School District Picks Ecker to Succeed Supt. Sampica

Marc Ecker, an 18-year employee of the Fountain Valley School District, was selected by the Board of Trustees on Wednesday as the new superintendent.

Ecker, currently assistant superintendent of business/administration, will begin his new job July 1, succeeding Supt. Robert G. Sampica, who is retiring.

The district received 42 applications for the top administrative post, from which four finalists were chosen.

Ecker, 47, who joined the district as a principal for Harry C. Fulton Elementary School (now a middle school), said he was grateful that the board has “trust and confidence” in him to do the job.

“I take their appointment very seriously and I look forward to giving the school district and the community 150%,” he said. “There were a lot of fine candidates. I’m just fortunate to come out on top.”

Board of Trustees President Julie Hoxsie said that Ecker is enthusiastic and well-liked, and has strong leadership skills and community ties.

“I think he will make a fine leader for the district,” she said. Ecker and his wife of 24 years, Linda, are the parents of three. He started his career in education in 1972 as an elementary schoolteacher with the Los Alamitos School District.

Seven years later, he joined Fountain Valley School District. After a four-year stint as Fulton’s principal, he served as principal of Kazuo Masuda Middle School from 1983-89. Ecker then became principal of Samuel E. Talbert Middle School.

He was promoted to the district office in 1991 as administrative assistant to the superintendent. In April 1993, Ecker became assistant superintendent.