New Superintendent to Begin in October
The superintendent of the Carpinteria School District will take the helm of the 4,170-student Ojai Unified School District in October, officials announced Tuesday.
Van Riley, scheduled to start as superintendent at the beginning of October, will replace Gwen Gross, who left to become superintendent of the Beverly Hills Unified School District.
Leo Molitor has been serving as interim superintendent since Gross left in July.
Riley has been head of the Carpinteria district for six years. He spent 16 years with the San Dieguito Union High School District in San Diego County, where he worked as a math/science teacher, principal, director of special education and assistant superintendent of personnel.
Riley also worked as director of Santa Barbara County’s special education programs, which oversees countywide special education programs throughout Santa Barbara County.
Ojai board President Vince France said the trustees were impressed by Riley’s extensive background.
“We believe Van has the ability to make a great school district even better,” he said.
The board reviewed 22 applications, and interviewed four candidates before deciding on Riley.
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