Superintendent Noguchi announces retirement at the school board meeting. What’s next for MCS?
Modesto City Schools Superintendent Sara Noguchi announced at Tuesday’s school board meeting that she is retiring.
After working in education for over 30 years, she said, she is ready to spend time with her family and grandchildren.
Noguchi said she will remain in the position until the school board decides the next steps in the hiring process. Options include asking her to stay as superintendent until a successor is hired or her leaving at the end of the school year.
At the next school board meeting, Feb. 11, trustees are expected to discuss the process they will use, which may include hiring a selection firm.
Noguchi began working July 1, 2018, as Modesto City Schools’ 17th superintendent. Her initiatives included expanding gifted and talented education programs to all elementary schools, enhancing before- and after-school programs, implementing more career technical education programs and advancing sustainability efforts throughout the district.
Noguchi said she was hired to lead changes to make Modesto City Schools efficient and effective. She said achieving that has been one of her biggest accomplishments, but she knows more work needs to be done.
“...As a result of that, our student outcomes have increased and it has increased steadily over the last three years,” she said.
Noguchi also said she worked hard with unions, parents, teachers and community members to build a positive culture and become a “destination district.”
She said she is confident the Board of Education will include the community, parents and teachers in the process to make the right selection for Modesto City Schools’ 18th superintendent.
“We currently are in a space now where we see a large-scale change,” she said. “They recognize that and they know that. I know that will also be a consideration as they move forward and work with others in the selection of the next superintendent.”
