PA School District Selects New Elementary Ed Director

News from the PALO ALTO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT:

Dr. Kevin Skelly, Superintendent, is pleased to announce he will recommend the appointment of Barbara Harris as Director of Elementary Education.

The recommendation will be presented to the Board of Education at the June 17, 2014, regular meeting.

Harris replaces Kathleen Meagher who recently announced she will be leaving the district after accepting the position of Director of Secondary Education at the Arlington Public School District in Arlington, Virginia.

Harris shared, “"I have had an amazing year working side by side with the students, families, staff, and the administration of JLS Middle School. I have enjoyed collaborating and supporting the efforts of such adynamic learning community here in Palo Alto. I look forward to contributing to the PAUSD leadershipteam by supporting elementary principals, TOSAs, students, and families at our twelve elementary schools.I am incredibly humbled and very excited to be honored with this responsibility and opportunity.”

Harris began her teaching career in Southern California teaching second and seventh grades and continued in Georgia and San Francisco East Bay schools where she taught math, reading, and GATE for nearly twenty years.

She came to Palo Alto as an interim Assistant Principal at JLS Middle School in 2013 after serving as a Founding School Principal for two charter schools, one in Los Angeles and the other in Memphis, Tennessee.

She has also served as Principal of Ledesma Elementary School and as the Manager of Elementary Curriculum and Instruction in San Jose Unified.

She received her BA in Sociology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and her MA in Behavioral Science from California State University Dominguez Hills.

Harris earned her Single and Multiple Subject credentials from California State University, Hayward, and her Administrative credential from the University of West Georgia, Carrollton.

Dr. Skelly commented, “In her short time in Palo Alto, Mrs. Harris has demonstrated she is a child-centeredadministrator who understands well how schools work. She has the right mindset to support ourelementary school principals and staff in their important work. We are delighted to have her join the team at the District Office.”