Aponik still a BUSD employee
Molly Shore
Former Burbank Unified Supt. David Aponik doesn’t intend to resign
from his current job until he has been formally hired by the Fillmore
Unified School District, where he started work July 8 as director of
personnel and risk management.
Aponik, a BUSD school psychologist, said Wednesday that he is not
obligated to submit his resignation until the Fillmore school board
approves his new post later this month.
Although he is still considered a Burbank Unified employee, Aponik
is not receiving a salary because he is off for the summer.
“My last working day at Burbank was July 7,” Aponik said. “There’s
no double-dipping going on here, if that’s a concern.”
Sandra Gaynon, BUSD’s director of special education and
psychological services and Aponik’s supervisor, said he told her at
the end of June that he was strongly considering the Fillmore job.
Aponik said he sent e-mails to Gaynon and Personnel Services
Director Nancy Gascich notifying them that he was accepting a new
position. He said both responded, saying they understood why he would
not submit his resignation until after the Fillmore board ratified
his position.
Gascich could not be reached for comment.
Gaynon, meanwhile, said she believed Supt. Gregory Bowman was
aware that Aponik would be offered the Fillmore position.
“I didn’t tell Dr. Bowman that Aponik was leaving,” Gaynon said.
“I told him that it was my understanding that it was possible that
Dr. Aponik was going to be offered another position.”
What Bowman said he heard was hearsay, and that it’s not possible
to operate the district on that type of information.
“I was aware that he was seeking employment in another district,
though until we receive a letter of resignation [it’s not official],”
he said.
Fillmore Supt. Mario Contini, who hired Aponik, said he expects
the Fillmore school board to formally approve the hire when members
meet July 29.
“We have an arrangement that the superintendent hires and the
board ratifies,” Contini said.