Milpitas' Board of Education voted 4-0 Tuesday to name current Milpitas High School Associate Principal Ken Schlaff as the successor to retiring Principal Charles Gary next school year, following months of interviews and screenings.

In his first remarks after being named the next principal, Schlaff honored Gary's legacy and immediately laid out his central goals for the school: to raise Milpitas High's score on the Aca-demic Perform-ance Index to more than 800, to give instructors the ability to teach engaging curriculum, and to make significant strides toward closing the "achievement gap."

Schlaff, 51, has worked at Milpitas High since 1997 as an assistant principal and associate principal, and spent one year as a science teacher at Calaveras Hills Continuation High School. Prior to coming to Milpitas, Schlaff spent three years working with underserved students in Vallejo. He also worked as a science teacher in New Mexico for 17 years.

"Being in the classroom as a teacher has given me my grounding, to be able to know curriculum from a teacher's point of view," Schlaff said. He cites his experience in strategic planning and program development as well as his time as a city planner in New Mexico as helping to teach him the necessary steps in community and regional planning.

Superintendent Karl Black said, "(Schlaff) obviously has large, large shoes to fill. Chuck has been an outstanding principal, and really a legend in this valley. But Ken has been his right-hand

person. I expect him to continue Chuck's work and move it to the next level. I have all the confidence in the world in Ken."

"(Schlaff) is definitely prepared," Gary added Tuesday night. "His is a big part of the reason we're where we are as a school. We have been a great team together."

Schlaff said his relationship with Gary and the Milpitas High staff will make for a smooth transition.

"It's not like I'm coming in cold, not knowing the Milpitas High School culture," Schlaff said. "I helped develop that culture, and I played a large part in developing programs, knowing the staff, knowing the students, knowing the community."

Schlaff added that it would be the people of Milpitas High that move the school toward its goals, not just him.

"The main thing is building up trust and respect among the people, because I will be the one directing it, but they will be the ones moving the ship."

Gary, 61, will retire in June, after 20 years as principal at Milpitas High and 39 years within Milpitas Unified School District.