POWAY, Calif. (KGTV) — It was a morning full of warm welcomes at Sunset Hills Elementary School as the Poway Unified School District celebrated its first day of school on Wednesday.
Sunset Hills welcomed students for its 50th anniversary this year. Two of the students are brothers Tanner and Dylan Johansen.
"It's pretty special to see big brother go to school with his little brother," Dave Johansen said. "We know they're very excited and we're both excited as parents and teachers."
At Poway High School, the energy for the first day was high. Chants of "Titans" roared across the campus as students celebrated the first day with a pep rally.
The school district enters this year re-energized after it faced multiple issues, including the firing of former superintendent Marian Phelps in February and a $20 million budget deficit.
Interim Superintendent Greg Mizel stepped into the role while also performing his current job duties as Associate Superintendent of Student Support Services.
"Professionally, this is the hardest thing I've ever done. I had a full-time job, and you know in February I picked up a second one," Mizel said. "So, it's been very difficult. It's also been in a funny way, really healthy."
According to Mizel, the school district was able to cut the budget deficit by around $12.5 million, which allowed the district to avoid any job layoffs.
With the search for the new superintendent set to move forward in the coming weeks and the layoffs avoided, Mizel is happy for these issues to be settled for now.
"It feels fantastic. It's always now and next in our profession. Right? It's what's next," Mizel said. "It's incumbent on us to make it [the students'] best year."
PUSD is expected to name its new superintendent by late fall 2024. As Mizel continues to work in the role, his main goal is to guide the district into a positive direction to set up a proper baton pass of the district's lead position.
"My job is to set our organization upright so whoever our next leader is gets it better than I did," Mizel said.
