The Montgomery County Board of Education last evening [Thursday, July 26] approved 13 administrative appointments, including three school principals, and gave authorization to expand the Chinese Immersion Program from elementary school to middle school.

In addition, the Board received and discussed the 2000-2001 annual report of the Montgomery County Advisory Council for Career and Technology Education.

The new middle school component of the Chinese Immersion Program, which originated at Potomac Elementary School in 1996, will be offered at Herbert Hoover Middle School, based on the successful secondary school model already in place for the Spanish and French immersion programs. The expansion coincides with the graduation of Potomac’s first class of Chinese immersion students, who now will be attending the middle school in the fall as sixth grade students.

The 13 administrative appointments approved by the Board include the following:

* Jeanette E. Dixon, currently principal of White Oak Middle School, as principal of Paint Branch High School.

* Donald D. Masline, currently elementary principal intern at Wyngate Elementary School, as principal of Georgian Forest Elementary School.

* Dr. Dianne G. Thornton, currently principal of C. Elizabeth Rieg School, Prince George's County, as principal of Rock Terrace School.

* Darlene Merry, currently director, Department of Staff Development, as associate superintendent for the Office of Staff Development.

* Raymond L. Frappolli, currently a human resources specialist, as director of Performance Evaluation, Office of Human Resources.

* Walter G. Gibson, currently senior associate at the National Center on Education and the Economy, as director of the Down-County Consortium.

* Dr. Kathy L. Kolan, currently supervisor of Special Education, as supervisor of Transition Services, Division of Programs and Services, Office of Student and Community Services.

* Rochelle A. Kraus, currently a staffing analyst, as a human resources specialist in the Office of Human Resources.

* Cary H. Kuhar, currently manager of Network Infrastructure and Operations at Dow, Lohnes & Albertson, PLLC, as director of the Division of Systems Architecture and Operational Support, Office of Global Access Technology.

* O. Niecey Pearson, currently vice president/director of marketing for the Montgomery County Chamber Workforce Corporation, as a customer support specialist in the Division of Information Services, Office of Global Access Technology.

* Felicia Piacente, currently acting supervisor, Special Education, as supervisor, Special Education, Division of Programs and Services, Office of Student and Community Services.

* Dr. Sandi Ives Posner, currently principal of Frances Fuchs Early Childhood Center, Prince George's County, as supervisor of Programs for Students with Emotional Disabilities, Division of Programs and Services, Office of Student and Community Services.

* Dr. Ellen Horiuchi Williams, returning from sabbatical leave, as a human resources specialist, Office of Human Resources.