Fillmore calls, Aponik answers
Tim Willert
Former Burbank Unified Supt. David Aponik has started working for the
Fillmore Unified School District, though he apparently hasn’t
bothered to let his former bosses know he has a new job.
Fillmore Supt. Mario Contini confirmed Tuesday that Aponik, a
school psychologist for BUSD, started working July 8 as director of
personnel and risk management for the 4,000-student district in
Ventura County.
“He has superior qualifications, and he answered the interview
questions very well,” Contini said. “He has a very extensive
background in the areas that are particular to this job.”
Aponik did not return phone calls for comment Tuesday.
Burbank Unified School District Supt. Gregory Bowman said he was
unaware Aponik had accepted a job outside the district.
“He is still employed because he has not tendered a resignation,”
Bowman said. “In terms of educational employment, it is typical for a
person to resign one’s position at the time they accept another
position in another district.”
Aponik, Bowman added, is not being paid by Burbank Unified because
he is off for the summer.
In March 2000, the Burbank school board voted to terminate
Aponik’s contract as superintendent after it was learned that $1.3
million in special education expenses had not been budgeted by a
previous fiscal management team.
Aponik, who was reassigned by the board, filed a civil lawsuit
against the district in September, alleging wrongful termination and
breach of contract. Last month, he agreed to drop his lawsuit against
the district in exchange for a $56,250 payment, according to a
board-approved settlement.
Contini said Aponik’s trials with Burbank Unified had no bearing
on his hiring.
“That’s something we knew about, and we saw no relationship
between whatever issues occurred there and what our position was,” he
said.
The Fillmore school board, meanwhile, is expected to formally
approve Aponik’s hiring at the end of the month, Contini said.