The Tucson Unified School District has a new deputy superintendent of teaching and learning.

Karen Kopec will come on board as second in command to TUSD Superintendent H.T. Sanchez in July. She is a consultant for the national New Tech Network.

New Tech Network works with schools, districts and communities across the country to develop innovative public schools. Sanchez worked alongside Kopec during his time in Texas at Ector County Independent School District.

While applying for the TUSD post, Sanchez listed Kopec as a reference.

Kopec was hired through a competitive process and brings with her 30 years of experience in education, including serving as an assistant superintendent in a Texas school district and as a director for the Texas Education Agency.

She is replacing Adrian Vega, another Texas colleague of Sanchez’s who left TUSD in November to lead a school district of his own. Kopec will earn a base salary of $151,000 — about $17,000 more than Vega earned given her level of experience.

Other administrative appointments made on Tuesday by the TUSD Governing Board include:

• Sabrina Salmon, a program specialist and lead implementation specialist at the Arizona Department of Education, was named assistant director of exceptional education.
• Jason Lindsay, assistant principal of Dobson High School in the Mesa Public Schools district, was named principal of Magee Middle School.
• Michael Beck, assistant principal of TUSD’s Secrist Middle School, was named principal of Valencia Middle School.
• Norma Flores, principal of Bloom Elementary School, was named principal of Booth-Fickett K-8.
• Chelsia Stallworth, assistant principal of a Wisconsin middle school, was named principal of Erickson Elementary.
• Victoria Barajas, curriculum service provider at Utterback Middle Magnet School, was named principal of Van Buskirk Elementary.
• Deanna Campos, assistant principal of Mary Belle McCorkle Academy of Excellence K-8, was named principal of Wright Elementary.