Diana Roybal, who has more than 25 years of experience in public education, will serve as the Goleta Union School District‘s next superintendent, starting July 1, the district’s board of trustees announced Friday.
Roybal, who currently serves as the executive director of elementary education for the Cherry Creek School District in Colorado, was chosen after a search process that included a district-wide survey and input from administrators, staff and the public, the board said in a statement.
In addition, Goleta Union entered a contract with the search firm Leadership Associates for more than $25,000 to find the next superintendent.
In a statement, Roybal said she’s “truly honored to have been selected as the next superintendent to lead and serve the Goleta Union School District into the future. Building strong relationships is a priority for me, and I am eager to meet the educators, staff, parents, and most importantly, the students that make up the Goleta Union School District community.”
Current superintendent Donna Lewis, who was hired in 2017, announced earlier this year that she was planning to retire in July.
In Roybal’s current role, she oversees 15 elementary schools serving about 8,000 students.
Roybal has been with Colorado’s Cherry Creek School District since 2005 “serving as an effective and collaborative leader,” district officials said.
The California native has held positions as a preschool teacher, elementary teacher, assistant principal and principal.
As a principal and administrator, Roybal has implemented “positive behavior intervention support,” worked with Padres Unidos groups supporting Spanish-speaking families, initiated an adult English class to increase parent engagement, and developed effective professional learning communities with teachers.
“Dr. Roybal has a proven track record of promoting academic success, professional learning communities among teachers, and parent engagement,” Goleta board President Luz Reyes-Martín said. “She brings outstanding experience in instruction, innovation, and is an equity-minded leader.”
Roybal earned a doctorate of education in educational leadership from the University of Phoenix, an educational specialist degree in administration and educational leadership from the University of Colorado, a master’s degree in curriculum and instructional design from Colorado Christian University, and a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Colorado Christian University.
“The Goleta Union School District Board was impressed with Dr. Roybal’s experience, and is enthusiastic about her selection,” Reyes-Martín said. “She brings a strong background in elementary education, and in working with teachers and parents. We are thrilled to welcome her to Goleta Union.”
Born in Woodland, Calif., Roybal grew up in the Inland Empire in Southern California, and she has been married for more than 30 years to her husband, Chris.
“They have two adult children and enjoy outdoor recreational activities,” the district said. “Dr. Roybal looks forward to relocating to the Goleta area.”
Chris recently retired from the Colorado Air National Guard.
The Goleta Union school board will officially give Roybal the job after voting on her appointment at the scheduled meeting on April 28.
The Goleta district serves more than 3,000 elementary students across nine schools, according to the district’s website. Four schools receive schoolwide Title I aid, three schools host district transitional kindergarten, and three state preschools are located at district facilities.
June 3 is the last day of school for students in the 2020-21 academic year, according to the district’s online calendar.
The first day of the 2021-22 school year at Goleta Union is Aug. 18.
— Noozhawk staff writer Brooke Holland can be reached at bholland@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.