The superintendent of the Ravenswood City School District has proposed an internal shuffling of school leadership that will result in new principals at three schools next year.
Superintendent Gloria Hernandez-Goff announced last week her recommendations for new principals at Belle Haven Community School, Willow Oaks School and the district's new Ravenswood Middle School. The appointments are subject to approval by the Board of Education.
"Focusing on our students, I have given careful thought to the administrative team to lead our schools to continuing improvement through challenging times," Hernandez-Goff wrote. "In doing so, I want to make very clear that the future of our district only gets stronger and stronger by the day, and this team of principals is committed to our growth and success of our students."
Hernandez-Goff is recommending Amanda Kemp, currently principal at Ronald McNair Academy, move to Belle Haven. Kemp is set to replace Principal Todd Gaviglio, whose recent mid-year transfer from Belle Haven to the district office has drawn protest from parents and teachers. Gaviglio has been reassigned to help the district with a federal program review.
After just one year at the helm of the district's new comprehensive middle school, Hernandez-Goff is proposing Ravenswood Middle School Principal Doug Garris move to Willow Oaks, where he would replace Principal Cynthia Chin. Chin is being considered for a position in student services at the district office.
Ravenswood Middle School Vice Principal Annaben Kazemi would then become principal at the middle school.
Garris' proposed appointment to Willow Oaks has been met with opposition from teachers and staff members at the school who signed a letter asking Hernandez-Goff and the board to instead promote Vice Principal Michelle Masuda. The letter describes Masuda's "tireless" efforts over the last three years to create a positive culture at the school.
"Looking to our future, as Willow transitions to a K-5 school, a principal with firsthand experience and knowledge of elementary school curriculum and effective elementary methodologies is crucial to help us deepen our instructional practice," the staff wrote.
In Hernandez-Goff's announcement, she emphasized the appointments as critical to the future of the long-underperforming district, which she was tasked with turning around when she was hired five years ago.
"Change is never an easy process, but you have risen to the occasion because you understand that what is at stake is the future of the children of the Ravenswood City School District," she wrote to staff.
Comments
East Palo Alto
on Apr 12, 2018 at 3:28 pm
on Apr 12, 2018 at 3:28 pm
As a board member, I shall have received a copy of this letter when it was sent to the Ravenswood Community and employees. However, I am not surprised that I was not informed; perhaps other board members were notified. Part of her job as a superintendent is to keep all board members equally informed on all issues of the school district. I only found out because willow teachers sent us a letter otherwise this article would have been a surprise like many others have. I always heard things from news, parents or teachers. We need changes. Let the changes begin!
East Palo Alto
on Apr 12, 2018 at 5:27 pm
on Apr 12, 2018 at 5:27 pm
All the changes in the world won't help until there is change at the top. That speaks for Dr Hernandez and the friends and family she brought in: her son, the new temporary prinicpal at Belle Haven, and the superintendent of curriculum and instruction.
East Palo Alto
on Apr 12, 2018 at 8:13 pm
on Apr 12, 2018 at 8:13 pm
After 1 year instead of giving support, GHG arbitrarily moves a man she said she chose for the job and doesn’t promote the current Vice Principal of Willow Oaks who has been prepping for the specific job of principal for the past three years. GHG chose him to open the middle school and now is moving him and passing over the current VP of Willow who is beloved by her staff and the families of Willow Oaks. In addition the VP of Willow has more years of experience as a site administrator than the proposed principal.
East Palo Alto
on Apr 13, 2018 at 5:57 am
on Apr 13, 2018 at 5:57 am
It’s time for Gloria Hernandez-Goff to go! She’s helping with the gentrification of our city, losing CDC.
Menlo Park
on Apr 13, 2018 at 4:25 pm
on Apr 13, 2018 at 4:25 pm
How come Ms. Hernandez-Goff and family are still pretending to be working for the district and getting pay? Ravenswood School District are so inept they do not even notice the damage they are doing to the district employees and our students. What does it take to recall them? Sharifa shall not be a board member after she got the big favor a request to have her domestic partner hire as the CDC Director. This big favor will be paid back by voting as Ms. Hernandez wishes. It is not like her partner just came and apply, and qualify for the position. To begin with she did not have the proper credentials to work at CDC. Also, an investigation shall be done about Gloria's son, there are rumors that he has a criminal record, but Gloria waved that by decided to hire him anyway.
Menlo Park
on Apr 13, 2018 at 8:34 pm
on Apr 13, 2018 at 8:34 pm
It's no surprise, another one of Gloria's Corruptions ideas. She is probably doing someone a favor, so that is why she is moving her ponds around so she can confuse the community, but the community is smarter than her and they will not fall for her Chess Game. We the community need to get rid of her before she causes more harm to the Ravenswood City School District more than she has already done.
East Palo Alto
on Apr 13, 2018 at 8:48 pm
on Apr 13, 2018 at 8:48 pm
Dear Gloria Your puppet theater is coming to an end. Hope Pulido y Marcelino stop being your puppets sooner than that.
East Palo Alto
on Apr 13, 2018 at 8:57 pm
on Apr 13, 2018 at 8:57 pm
I believe her actions because she showed her TRUE colors regarding a BAD teacher at 49er Academy when she first came on board. How do you keep a teacher who teaches the kids nothing, didnt give out books, belittled the kids by seperating them into tatget groups (good kids, bad kids, those in between). How did you let a teacher verbally tell students this. Not only fail every student, throw away projects and fail the student for it and of all things the teacher and principal have bad attitude toward each while in a meeting with GHG, the parents and student. GHG sat there looking dumb founded!! Guess what? She transferred teacher to another school and we fought to get our childs grades right. She actes like our child deserved what she got until we showed her previous report cards- thought she was messing with aparent who didnt care. NOT!!! Soooo Glad my kids are nt in the that District. She is wrong on so many levels. Parents and teachers keep getting in her face abt HER wrong doings, she does not like to be proven wrong I did and soo can you!!
Stanford
on Apr 13, 2018 at 9:45 pm
on Apr 13, 2018 at 9:45 pm
@67Born
Was it a teacher with tenure? It's not easy dismissing a teacher who has attained tenure. There is a due process that public school district must satisfy in order to dismiss a tenured teacher. Did the school principal fail to appropriately document teacher's misconduct? If school administrators don't do their job, it makes it much harder for the district to proceed with any disciplinary actions. Was the teacher placed on a teacher-improvement plan at the school?
Palo Verde
on Apr 14, 2018 at 6:46 pm
on Apr 14, 2018 at 6:46 pm
Her AND THE BOARD'S actions are hazardous to the well-being of the students we are supposed to serve. I am outraged, as is the community. I only hope someone will take action to stop this soon and return Gaviglio to Belle Haven.
East Palo Alto
on Apr 14, 2018 at 9:34 pm
on Apr 14, 2018 at 9:34 pm
Web Link
East Palo Alto
on Apr 15, 2018 at 5:56 pm
on Apr 15, 2018 at 5:56 pm
I hope Gloria Hernandez does not come back from her vacations, hope she stays there and starts looking for her next victim district.
East Palo Alto
on Apr 15, 2018 at 8:05 pm
on Apr 15, 2018 at 8:05 pm
You are invited to our second protest on April 19, 6:00 pm at Bell Park, in University Avenue by Chevron Gas Stationl see you there. The second one will be a March from Saint Francis Church to the school district. The March will take place on March 26th, and they plan to leave from the church @5:30.
East Palo Alto
on Apr 15, 2018 at 8:07 pm
on Apr 15, 2018 at 8:07 pm
Sorry I meant to say Thursday April 26th, 2018
Woodside
on Apr 16, 2018 at 7:20 am
on Apr 16, 2018 at 7:20 am
Gloria spent so much money on setting up laundry machines and building laundry rooms, and it is a shame that she did not follow the rules or codes, people cannot benefit from using the washers or dryers because she did not get the required permits. What a waste of money! she says that it was money from REF, but it does not matter; people donated the money thinking it will be for good use, not to be wasted. The same thing happened with the 5 million dollars that Facebook donated back in 2013, and other millions later. How could have she spent all that money without giving a report or leaving a trace? Something fishy here. And we thought that Ms. Knight was bad, Gloria is way more corrupted! At least Knight did not hire her family members with generous salaries.