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Gary Woods has been named superintendent of the Temecula Valley Unified School District.
A public and private school teacher for 33 years, the district’s board of trustees on Nov. 13 voted 3-2 to make Woods head of the district, according to a district statement.
The vote, which happened in a closed-door meeting, came after a nationwide search and a series of candidate interviews by the board.
“I could not be more satisfied with the rigorous process undertaken by the board in selecting Dr. Woods as the next superintendent of our district,” said Joseph Komrosky, board president, in the statement. “Dr. Woods is highly qualified for this position, and has certainly demonstrated a passion for advancing the educational well-being of our community’s children.”
Woods, who is scheduled to start work Nov. 27 replaces Jodi McClay, who was dismissed in June.
For nearly one year, the board has been embroiled in controversy regarding its banning of the teaching of critical race theory, and other political matters regarding the district’s social studies curriculum.
This is not factual. There was not an extensive transparent nationwide search as far as the public or other board members and cabinet are aware. Joe Komrosky called an emergency meeting and candidates were interviews without anyone seeing a background check or resume.
Hoping the new superintendent will help bring transparency and honesty back to our district.
This isn’t what happened. The board majority, led by Mr. Joe Komrosky, gave a cronie at a search firm a contract, three candidates were chosen by the firm to interview at a last minute closed-session emergency board meeting where (allegedly) no one on the board even knew names of candidates, let along backgrounds and qualifications. There was nothing rigorous or transparent about it. Rumor has it, they hired a different Gary Woods than the one they thought they were getting. Incompetence at its worst.