Laura Schwalm
Laura Schwalm, superintendent of the Garden Grove Unified School District, has announced her intention to retire from the district. She will step down from her leadership post this summer on a date yet to be determined.
The superintendent’s notification of retirement was read in a statement by Board of Education President George West at the closing of the regular meeting of school district trustees on Tuesday.
Schwalm, a native of Orange County, began her career with the district 40 years ago as a student teacher. She taught in a number of district schools at both the elementary and secondary levels. She also served as a school administrator at both levels and has been part of the district leadership team for 33 years – including the past 14 as superintendent. In her current position, she is responsible for the daily operation of Garden Grove’s largest employer and one of the largest school districts in California and the nation. The diverse 48,000-student district serves most of Garden Grove and portions of Santa Ana, Westminster, Fountain Valley, Cypress, Stanton, and Anaheim.
“Absolutely everything that has been achieved during my years as superintendent I credit entirely to the work of a highly qualified and committed leadership team, talented and caring teachers, dedicated support personnel and classified staff, and a very supportive Board of Education,” Schwalm said. “Leaving the district and community I have come to love will be difficult; however, I do so with the peace of mind that comes from knowing I leave the GGUSD in very capable and committed hands.”
While under her stewardship, the district earned national recognition for academic excellence, maintained fiscal stability during challenging economic times, implemented rigorous programs to prepare students for college and skilled careers, expanded technology systems, and passed a $250-million bond measure (Measure A) in 2010 for infrastructure modernization at all district schools.
In 2004, the district was selected as the winner of the Broad Prize for Urban Education and was one of five finalists in both 2002 and 2003 for the coveted award honoring the most outstanding urban school system in America. As a winner and double finalist, the district received a total of $750,000 in college scholarships benefiting GGUSD graduates.
The district’s Academic Performance Index (API) has grown by 141 points in 10 years to 821, exceeding the state target of 800. Since 2004, the district has doubled the number of graduates completing demanding academic classes and satisfying course entrance requirements for admission to California public four-year universities.
The Board of Education has a policy for leadership succession that it will use to guide the process of selecting the next superintendent. As part of this procedure, the board will conduct a special session on Feb. 2 at 10 a.m. to gather comments from invited parents as well as community and employee representatives. The session will take place in the boardroom of the district Education Center, 10331 Stanford Ave., Garden Grove.
Information from the special session will be used in the selection of the new superintendent and for setting goals to ensure the continued improvement of the district. The Board also welcomes written comments to be sent to: Board of Education, Garden Grove Unified School District, 10331 Stanford Ave., Garden Grove, CA 92840; or by e-mail to [email protected]
