Vicki Engbrecht: William S. Hart Union School District Superintendent

After having served as the superintendent of the William S. Hart Union High School District since 2015, Vicki Engbrecht has announced she will retire at the end of the 2019-20 school year.

After having served as the superintendent of the William S. Hart Union High School District since 2015, Vicki Engbrecht has announced she will retire at the end of the 2019-20 school year.

Engbrecht’s teaching career with the Hart District began after she was hired in 1976 as an English teacher at Sierra Vista Junior High School.

She stayed at Sierra Vista for 17 years, and was recognized as the Hart District Teacher of the Year and the Los Angeles County District Teacher of the year, before transitioning to a short stint at Saugus High School.

In 1991, she became the dean of students at Canyon High School, and eventually was named principal in 1997.

For 11 years, Engbrecht served as the Cowboys’ leader before being moved to the Hart District office in 2002 to take over as director of curriculum. In 2007, she was named assistant superintendent of education services, and was eventually promoted to deputy superintendent.

Engbrecht was named as the successor to Superintendent Rob Challinor in 2014, before assuming the role a year later.

With Engbrecht at the helm, the Hart District attained a number of accolades, including a graduation rate in excess of 95%, as well as seeing the entire district be named a 2019 California Exemplary District, the only high school district in all of Los Angeles County to be named so. 

Additionally, Castaic High School, which for decades had been discussed by district officials, was officially completed this year. The school welcomed close to 435 students on its first day this month, and the campus includes state-of-the-art facilities, classrooms and sports complexes. 

It also includes the new iCAN program at Castaic High School, which offers students an opportunity to take classes at College of the Canyons, with nearly 120 students enrolled in the program for the upcoming year.

Engbrecht is to be succeeded by Mike Kuhlman, who is stepping up from his 2018-19 position as deputy superintendent.