It’s back to school for former Tooele County Superintendent Terry Linares.
She will take over as principal of Tooele Junior High School effective Monday, Sept. 15.
Linares will replace Larry Abraham, who today started a new assignment as assistant principal for Dugway High and Elementary schools.
The appointment of Linares was announced this morning by Scott Rogers, Tooele County School District superintendent. He announced Abraham’s new assignment during Tuesday night’s school board meeting.
Abraham had been on administrative leave from his position as principal of Tooele Junior High since the school year started on Aug. 19.
“We appreciate the work Larry has done,” Rogers said. “Terry is a great instructional leader. We are excited to have her accept his position and we are confident that she will continue to move the school forward.”
Linares retired as superintendent in June 2013 after 39 years with the school district.
She started working for the district in 1974 as a secretary in Wendover. Her career has also included stints as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, secondary education director, and assistant superintendent. She was selected as superintendent in May 2008.
Abraham’s job as assistant principal for Dugway schools is a new position for the district.
“They need another administrator out there,” Rogers said. “Right now Robin Nielson is serving as the principal of both the high school and the elementary school.”
Nielsen became the principal of Dugway High School and Elementary School in February 2008.
In the fall of 2008 through the end of school in 2013. Dugway Elementary had its own principal.
Since 2013 Nielson has been the principal of both the elementary and high school in Dugway, according to Rogers.
“Currently the elementary and high school are in two different buildings,” Rogers said. “The new building is under construction and both schools will move in to it next fall. With all that is going on out there, Larry’s skills will be very useful.”
Dugway Elementary has 75 students and the high school has 59 students enrolled for 2014.
Due to a $13.2 million grant from the Department of Defense and $2.6 million from school district funds, the district is building a new 71,000-square-foot building at Dugway that will house both the high school and elementary school.
High school and elementary students will remain separated in different wings of the new building with their own restrooms. They will share access to the commons area, cafeteria, auditorium, media center and gymnasium.
The new building is scheduled to open in time for the 2015-16 school year.
Abraham came to Tooele in 1999 from Idaho to be the assistant principal at Tooele Junior High. He became the principal of TJHS in 2006.
Rogers declined the opportunity to comment on the reason Abraham was on administrative leave.
Linares could not be reached for comment at press time today.