At the April 11 regular Carpinteria Unified School District meeting, the School Board announced that Diana Rigby was selected unanimously as the next superintendent.
Rigby, a former Carpinteria resident who forged a long career in Santa Barbara and Ventura County public schools, currently serves as the Superintendent of the Concord Public Schools and Concord-Carlisle Regional School District in Massachusetts.
“We were fortunate to have had several outstanding, highly-qualified candidates for the position, and any one of them could have served capably,” said Andy Sheaffer, CUSD School Board President.
“But at the end of the day, Rigby’s lengthy superintendent experience, her leadership qualities and people strengths, and her track record of promoting academic excellence make her our top choice.”
The superintendent selection announcement was made by new school board member Maureen Claffey during the informal board comments section at the end of the meeting.
Claffey noted the board’s difficulty in choosing a single person from the strong pool of potential superintendent candidates provided by the Santa Barbara County search team. She said that the other candidates were an extraordinary group of talented, experienced, committed candidates with impressive backgrounds in education.
“The board chose Rigby as the strongest candidate from this exceptional pool of professionals because her abilities best match the district’s current needs,” Claffey said.
According to Claffey, the board was impressed by Rigby’s extensive experience as a successful superintendent, her inclusive and grassroots leadership style, her relational management approach, and her proven ability to increase academic excellence for all children, regardless of their background or ability. The board decided that those qualities make her the best choice to lead Carpinteria schools right now.
As a special education teacher turned administrator, Rigby has experience at nearly every level of school leadership, and the board is confident that she will bring an impressive depth of knowledge and vision to all fiscal and educational district challenges.
With an ongoing mantra of “no surprises,” Rigby will bring stability, openness and inclusivity into the local school administration.
Rigby is excited to begin her new work at CUSD, after completing her current position as superintendent this spring.
“I am thrilled to be returning ‘home’ and to serve our schools and community,” said Rigby of her new opportunity in Carpinteria’s schools.
Rigby’s professional, educational and administrative career is extensive. She is currently in her ninth year as Superintendent of Concord Public Schools and Concord-Carlisle Regional School District in Concord, Massachusetts.
Previously, she served as the Assistant Superintendent and Director of Special Education for the same district, but she actually began her educational career as a special educator and administrator in Ventura County and the Santa Barbara Unified School District where she worked as the Director of Student Services and Assistant Superintendent.
She also taught education courses at Westmont College.
For her education, Rigby attended Northwestern University and the University of Massachusetts where she received a Bachelor of Arts.
She completed graduate work for a master’s degree at UC Santa Barbara, and additional coursework in school administration at California Lutheran University.
Rigby will start on July 1, contingent on making a formal appointment and approving an employment contract that will be brought back at the CUSD School Board’s next regular meeting on April 25 at the City Hall Chambers in Carpinteria, at 5775 Carpinteria Ave.