Meet Modesto City Schools’ new superintendent. What are her goals?

Vanessa Buitrago’s earliest memories are of grade school, carrying a backpack bigger than herself and running to her mom after the day ended to start homework assignments as quickly as possible.

“I wanted to learn everything,” she recalled.

Now, in the very district where she developed her love for learning, Buitrago is Modesto City Schools’ new superintendent, focused on increasing communication, student engagement and strategic planning.

When Buitrago was studying political science at San Diego State University to later enter the field of international development, her department chair told her she was meant to be an educator. At first, she wasn’t sure. Yet, she took a chance by starting to teach political science as a graduate student instructor.

“I learned that I really, really loved to teach,” Buitrago said. “What I appreciated about it is that there was a lot of storytelling in it. I got to tell the story of political structures in the United States and U.S. history. Teaching has been about understanding other people’s stories and then also sharing my own.”

In addition to her master of arts degree in political science from SDSU, she also holds a master’s in curriculum and instruction from the University of the Pacific. Most recently in May, Buitrago earned her doctorate in education from California State University, Sacramento.

Following her work as a political science instructor, she began working as a high school special education teacher in the 40,000-student Sacramento City Unified School District. In her work, she enjoyed engaging with students and their families during individualized education program meetings, hoping to provide a sense of ease and connection during complex conversations.

“I realized that all of our students have really disparate experiences,” Buitrago said. “That really made me realize the importance of a very clear set of goals that everyone in the system is working towards, so that every single student has access to high-quality education and it’s not just limited to a certain group of students that get to benefit.”

In the hope of addressing inequity in the classroom and education system, she became a special education supervisor at SCUSD, where she advocated for the educational rights of students with disabilities and developed educational policy.

She was then promoted to an assistant superintendent, coaching teachers, classified staff and site leaders. As she served in this position, she started to believe she was ready to serve as a superintendent, but something stopped her.

“There was still something in my mind that said, ‘I don’t look like a superintendent, or the typical superintendent,’” Buitrago said. “I am Latina. I am a woman. I don’t have the relationships with influential people in the community because that’s not where I’m from.”

She realized that to become a superintendent, she needed to experience a more diverse school system. That led her to the position of network deputy superintendent of the 45,000-student Oakland Unified School District.

As a Modesto High grad, working in her hometown district had always been a dream for Buitrago. When the opportunity to serve as superintendent was open, she knew her growth prepared her.

“I’m not ever going to apply to something where I’m not certain that I am not going to do a fantastic job, because I’m not going to put myself into a position where I’m going to underserve the community,” Buitrago said. “It is important to me that if anything, I overserve the community. That’s my mindset, I will always do my absolute best.”

Buitrago’s key areas of focus include addressing student engagement, improving communication and making strategic, informed decisions to best serve the community. She hopes to deliver on these goals by talking to as many students as possible, visiting every school, and using data to make decisions and create dialogue with families, staff and students.

“My focus is to engage as many of our Modesto City Schools staff in activities where we’re purposefully looking at student stories, considering student stories, and leveraging every opportunity that we have to consider student voice,” Buitrago said. “Students are the experts. They know what they need, and we need to deliver what they need.”

As the school year begins, Buitrago said she is grateful for the doors education has opened for her. She wants to create an environment in which all students believe in their future and the doors that education can open for them.

“I believe in Modesto City schools,” Buitrago said. “I believe in our ability to to serve the community, but also to open doors for students because all of our students deserve the best. I want every single student in Modesto to believe that they can go to college, to believe that they can be a doctor, a lawyer, or a judge.”