The Chula Vista Elementary School District’s Board of Education approved it’s Human Resources Department to search for a new superintendent during their Sept.8 special meeting to replace the vacant spot of Previous Superintendent Dr. Francisco Escobedo.
Approximately three months after Escobedo’s resignation, CVESD President Dr. Eduardo Reyes announced his resignation effective immediately and stated his intention to apply for the position as superintendent during the Board’s special meeting on July 14. The Board appointed Oscar Esquivel as superintendent Interim until the position is filled. “I have been receiving calls from teachers, administrators, community members, from within and outside the district encouraging me, as a successful experienced educator and educational leader, to consider applying for the position of superintendent of Chula Vista Elementary School District,” said Reyes during the meeting.
This search prompted the creation of a superintendent search committee of 13 people who will review results from the district’s superintendent survey, conduct paper screening of candidates, conduct candidate interviews and recommend finalists. Administrators and community members voiced their concerns regarding fair representation.
“We needed more people in this committee. Choosing significant representation is important and this was an effort of being transparent with everybody. We want to have more people to have more input,” Trustee Leslie Ray Bunker said. The recommended finalists will interview with the board of education who will then make the final decision on the next district superintendent.
“I think the community aspect is very important. I look at the makeup of the committee that is here and it is very diverse in regards to different parent groups, different staff groups and I think that we need representation from community members, such as the Chicano Federation and PFLAG. We need to have feedback from these groups because our students are in these groups and these are services that our community members provide to students,” Trustee Lucy Ugarte stated.
Under Escobedo’s leadership, the Chula Vista Elementary School District was named as a “Positive Outlier” by the Learning Policy Institute for beating the odds in the face of socioeconomic conditions within the community. “He was a great leader and has moved our district forward. We have become a district of excellence. An outlier of districts,” hopeful candidate Eduardo Reyes said of Dr. Francisco Escobedo.
Parent and Educator Cesar T. Fernandez assumed the vacant spot left by Reyes during a special board meeting on Aug.25. “I definitely appreciate this Board seeing the value that [someone like] myself as a parent educator bring to the table. I am excited and looking forward to getting out to campuses, meeting students, staff and talking to parents. I am honored to be here,” Fernandez said.
Reyes’ resignation drew a lot of attention from South Bay communities because of the high level position he currently holds at the Sweetwater Union High School District (SUHSD) that the CVESD is closely associated with. SUHSD appointed Reyes as Human Resource Commissioner after having served as a Principal at San Ysidro High School.“I am grateful to have the trust and confidence of people who have known me for decades. The Chula Vista community embraced me and has provided me and my family with amazing opportunities throughout my life and throughout my children’s lives. I can proudly say that I am here today because of teachers and mentors that have helped me,” Reyes said.
Dr. Eduardo Reyes was elected CVESD Board President in November 2014 with a term that would have ended in 2022.
