Amidst multiple issues at the Fremont Unified School District (FUSD), notably the Teachers’ Association strikes and negotiations with the district and a 30-million budget deficit, there have been two high-profile resignations in the district. These resignations included Superintendent Erik Burmeister and Assistant Principal Jennifer Tutass at Irvington.
Burmeister was unanimously appointed to lead FUSD on July 1, 2024, after previously serving as superintendent for the Menlo Park City School District. In that position, he earned Superintendent of the Year for California School Administrators (ACSA) Region 5. His previous experience in educational leadership and financial planning made him a fit candidate for FUSD. Helping to successfully negotiate the Measure M for Facilities campaign was a highlight for his administration.
However, after serving as superintendent for 8 months of this school year, he has stepped down, writing in a LinkedIn post that he had signed a one-year contract with the Board of Education, and that “with the Board’s goals for [him] accomplished, [he] is moving on to allow the Board to identify their next long-term leader.” He states that he has now returned to a full-time position at Solutionary Advisors, a consulting firm that supports school districts and educational organizations.
In response to Burmeister’s resignation, FUSD has appointed Zach Larsen to fill this role. Larsen, who grew up in Fremont and has a 26-year-long career with FUSD, has expressed his excitement and readiness for the new position. In his statement to members of the district, he shared, “As someone who was born at Washington Hospital and raised in Fremont, this community has always been my home.” His experience includes working inside the district as an elementary school teacher, high school principal, Director of Secondary Education, and Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources. Mr. Hicks, the principal at Irvington, noted that he is “Highly qualified to handle the budget cuts and teacher strikes.” The Voice reached out to Superintendent Larsen and the Board of Education for comment, but they were unable to provide this to us.
Along with Burmeister, Ms. Tutass, the former Director of Special Education, has also stepped down, further shifting the leadership structure at FUSD. Ms. Tutass, who had a strong background in Special Education and has been with FUSD since 2019, was a valued Principal’s assistant who resigned for an Inclusionary Specialist position at Milpitas High School. “We don’t usually lose people in the middle of a school year,” explained Mr. Hicks. “But when it involves an advancement in their career, we let them go.”
Ms. DeFrance, the current 7th-grade Assistant Principal at Horner Elementary, will be coming to Irvington next year to fill the open Assistant Principal role, as her role at Horner had been eliminated due to budget cuts. Ms. DeFrance has had 10 years of experience with FUSD. Currently, she is splitting her time between Horner and Irvington, but she will join APs Aucoin and Howell full-time next school year. Students who were originally assigned to Ms. Tutass are being split with Mr. Aucoin and Ms. Howell for the remainder of the year.
These leadership changes come at a particularly volatile time for FUSD. However, with Burmeister and Tutass’ departures, the appointments of Superintendent Larsen and AP DeFrance reflect FUSD’s efforts to maintain stability. Larsen’s long experience with the district and Fremont’s community will play a key role in managing challenges with teacher negotiations and the budget. Additionally, Ms. DeFrance’s transition to a full-time AP at Irvington will be a valuable addition as the administrative team faces adjustments and preparations for next school year.
