The public is invited to meet the Saugus Union School District’s new superintendent in a series of chats on Thursday held at both the district office and at West Creek Academy.
Governing board President Matthew Watson reported out of closed session during Tuesday’s meeting that in a unanimous vote Robert Hernandez was appointed the district’s new superintendent. The motion for the appointment was made by trustee Katherine Cooper and seconded by trustee Christopher Trunkey, according to Pam Dall, executive secretary of the superintendent.
In late March, trustees conducted their first and second round of interviews in closed session within the same day, ahead of the scheduled timeline. Watson said members of the board were all highly impressed with Hernandez and he believed there was little doubt they would move forward with him being appointed.
Education Support Services, the search firm selected to find the next superintendent, delivered 26 application packets that met the minimum requirements for the position. They all came from different backgrounds and experiences.
Hernandez is set to begin his tenure on July 1 and will be introduced to the community on Thursday in two separate meetings so he can share the future vision he has for the district.
The first meeting will take place at the district office board room at 10 a.m., and the second is scheduled to take place in the West Creek Academy’s multipurpose room at 6:30 p.m., according to a district news release on the matter. They will not be live streamed.
Hernandez is set to be under contract until June 30, 2029, according to the superintendent contract attachment item on Tuesday’s meeting agenda. He will be placed on the 2024-25 management salary schedule, which is currently $251,359.58, Watson said as he read from the employment agreement recommended for approval during open session.
That item was approved on a motion by trustee Christopher Trunkey and seconded by trustee Patti Garibay.
Hernandez has more than two decades of experience as a teacher, principal and district administrator. He will be relocating from Texas where he was with the San Antonio Independent School District as the network instructional assistant superintendent, according to a district release announcing his appointment.
Before that, he was with the Pasadena Unified School District where he held key leadership roles including director of planning, innovation and accountability, and served as Pasadena High School’s principal, according to the release.
“I am honored and humbled to serve as the next superintendent for the Saugus Union School District. I am eager to contribute to the vision and aspirations of Saugus USD, a district known for its student success, exceptional programs, and strong sense of community,” Hernandez said in the release. “I look forward to partnering with the governing board, staff, families and community to strengthen the foundational skills that empower our students and help them build agency as they prepare for secondary school and beyond.”
The Saugus District office is located at 24930 Avenue Stanford and West Creek Academy is located at 28767 North West Hills Drive.
