Modesto school board doesn’t reach far to fill interim superintendent role

Craig Rydquist, the deputy superintendent of Modesto City Schools, will be considered for appointment as interim superintendent at the school board’s Dec. 11 meeting, the district said in a news release.

His appointment would fill the role of Pam Able, who last week announced to staff her plans to retire. Able has led the 30,000-student district since 2011.

According to the district, trustees at their Nov. 20 meeting directed staff to prepare an agenda item appointing Rydquist to the job. “If approved, the appointment will be effective January 16, 2018,” the news release states.

Rydquist has worked for Modesto City Schools since September 1984.

“Mr. Rydquist spent eight and a half years teaching at La Loma Junior High and Beyer and Downey high schools, and eight and a half years as a principal or assistant principal at a variety of junior high and high schools,” the news release states. “He moved into district office administration, working four years as the Director, Assessment and Evaluation, six years as an Associate Superintendent, Educational Services, and four years as the Associate Superintendent, Human Resources, before being named Deputy Superintendent, Chief Human Resources Official in July 2015.”

Rydquist has a master’s degree in Educational Administration from Chapman University, a single subject credential from the University of the Pacific, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from UCLA. He is an alumnus of Modesto’s Beyer High School.

This story was originally published November 27, 2017 at 10:42 AM with the headline "Modesto school board doesn’t reach far to fill interim superintendent role."