After three decades working in Santa Maria Valley education, the Guadalupe Union School District’s superintendent will leave this summer for a job leading schools in Ventura County.
Superintendent Ed Cora has been hired as the Santa Paula Unified School District superintendent, beginning July 1.
Cora was selected to fill the Santa Paula job from a field of 21 candidates.
“His experience and credentials are a great match for our Santa Paula Unified community,” school board President Michelle Kolbeck said. “He is known for his outreach to the community, his attention to accelerating student achievement, and his attention to creating a strong team, always focused on student performance.”
Cora said he will miss the Guadalupe students, teachers, parents, and school board members.
“It is my deepest desire to let every student in this district know that they are incredibly capable and talented, and can achieve anything they work hard at,” he said. “They deserve the best, and by staying in school and maintaining self-discipline in their studies, they will achieve their goals.
“I sincerely thank the wonderful school board members, principals, teachers and classified staff for being an integral part of accelerating the achievement and perspectives of our students.”
While leading the Guadalupe district, Cora oversaw the implementation of the Common Core curriculum, the Smarter Balanced Assessment Program, the One-to-Web Technology Initiative in all classrooms, and the Developmental Bilingual Education Program.
Cora, who has spent 33 years in education, previously served as a principal and assistant principal in the Santa Maria-Bonita School District.
He graduated in 1983 with a bachelor of science degree in elementary education from East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania. He earned his master’s degree in educational leadership and administration from the University of La Verne before beginning his administrative career.
Cora will complete his doctorate degree from Brandman University in December.
After three years teaching in Pennsylvania, Cora moved to California, where he taught for four years in the Orcutt Union School District.
In 1991, he served an additional four years as the district’s outreach coordinator, mentor teacher, and parent education coordinator, focusing his positive energy and attention guiding and working with at-risk students.
In addition to membership in regional educational organizations, Cora serves as a member for the Kiwanis of Guadalupe, an advisor for Brandman University, and a board member for the Allan Hancock College Foundation, Fighting Back Santa Maria and Santa Maria Valley YMCA.
Additionally, he founded the Guadalupe Kids Come First Foundation.
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.