Ybarra’s tech director, Will Goodman, to leave June 30
The key staffer to state schools Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra who oversaw the successful and quick transition of Idaho schools from the defunct Idaho Education Network to individually negotiated district broadband contracts is resigning June 30. Will Goodman, chief technology officer for the state Department of Education, said he wanted to return to his prior job as technology director for the Mountain Home School District and spend more time with his family.
Idaho schools saw big savings plus increased bandwidth with their new, district-by-district broadband contracts, in a transition completed in just a few weeks, after courts declared the state’s $60 million contract for the statewide Idaho Education Network illegal.
“Will has been an integral part of the office transition, and has accomplished the tasks that were placed before him in this short time,” Ybarra said in a news release. “Being close to family is important, and he will again be a great asset for the students in the Mountain Home School District.”
“It has been a great experience working at the department,” Goodman said. “I appreciate the opportunity to work with Superintendent Ybarra, her staff, legislators, as well as many other groups working to move education forward in Idaho. The reason for this change is simple; I want to spend more time with my family.”
Department spokesman Jeff Church said Goodman has a young family. “He and his family still live in Mountain Home, so he’s been commuting back and forth since he started,” Church said. Ybarra, too, still lives in Mountain Home and commutes.
Ybarra named Chris Campbell to replace Goodman; Campbell is currently the department’s Region 1 and 2 regional education technology coordinator. Prior to joining the department, he was director of technology for the Genesee Joint School District for seven years. Campbell said, “I look forward to working in this new capacity. This is an opportunity to take my past experience of working at the district level to better assist and meet the needs of schools.”
