Sequoia Union High School District

The Sequoia Union High School District is a public union school district in the San Francisco Bay Area, primarily serving the southern San Mateo County communities of Atherton, Belmont, East Palo Alto, Ladera, San Carlos, Menlo Park, Portola Valley, Redwood City, and Woodside.[3] The District currently serves more than 9,000 students, and also owns the radio station KCEA.[4]

Sequoia Union High School District
District Headquarters
Location
San Mateo County, California
United States
Coordinates37°28′56″N 122°14′12″W[1]
District information
TypePublic high school district
Grades9-12
Established1895 (1895)
SuperintendentDarnise Williams
NCES District ID0636390[2]
Students and staff
Students9,052 (as of 2019–2020 school year)
Other information
Websitewww.seq.org

Schools

High Schools:

Other Schools:

  • Redwood Continuation High School, in Redwood City
  • Cañada Middle College, in Redwood City
  • Sequoia Adult School, in Menlo Park

Governance

Superintendent

  • Darnise Williams (2021–)[5]
    • Formerly Crystal Leach as Interim Superintendent (2020–2021, 1 school year)[6]
    • Formerly Mary Streshly (2017–2020, 3+ school years)[7]
    • Formerly James Lianides (2010–2017, 7 school years)[8]
    • Formerly Patrick "Pat" Gemma (2003–2010, 7 school years)[9]

Board of Trustees

The SUHSD Board of Trustees are elected by 5 districts,[10] each representing a different geographic area served by the district. The trustees include:

  • Alan Sarver, Trustee Area A
  • Carrie Du Bois, Trustee Area B
  • Richard Ginn, Trustee Area C
  • Christopher Thomsen, Trustee Area D
  • Shawneece Stevenson, Trustee Area E

Controversy
Further information: Carlmont High School § Controversy

In 2018, former Vice Principal Jennifer Cho of Carlmont High School was investigated by the district for inappropriate relationships with male students. During this investigation, spurred by a Change.org petition signed by thousands of Carlmont High School students, Cho was placed on administrative leave before being relocated elsewhere in the district.[11]

On August 3, 2020, the Sequoia District Teachers Association announced a vote of no-confidence in Sequoia Union High School District Superintendent Mary Streshly's leadership, and asked for her removal from office. In the letter, teachers and administrators accused Streshly of mishandling the district's Covid-19 response. Along with this, it cited her inability to make and communicate plans and her dismissal of racial tensions in the district. The resolution received 200 staff signatures in the first 24 hours and 300 in total, accounting for roughly 60% of the union staff. In September of 2020, Streshly resigned from her post and was succeeded by Crystal Leach who served as interim superintendent for the remainder of the school year while the district searched for a replacement. [12]

See also

References
  1. "Sequoia Union High School District". GeoNames. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  2. "Search for Public School Districts – District Detail for Sequoia Union High". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  3. Loy, Whitney (2008). "County of San Mateo: State of California High School Districts" (PDF). Jefferson Union High School District. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  4. Walsh, Austin (24 October 2018). "Officials weigh fate of school's radio station". San Mateo Daily Journal. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  5. staff, Austin Walsh Daily Journal. "Sequoia Union High School District selects chief". San Mateo Daily Journal. Retrieved 2021-05-29.
  6. Swartz, Angela. "High school district parents, teachers and students at odds over returning to classrooms". www.almanacnews.com. Retrieved 2021-05-29.
  7. Callister, Tyler. "High school superintendent Mary Streshly announces resignation amid calls for district to fire her". www.almanacnews.com. Retrieved 2021-05-29.
  8. Staff, Austin Walsh Daily Journal. "Superintendent at Sequoia to retire at end of school year: Jim Lianides to leave Sequoia Union High School District after almost four decades in education". San Mateo Daily Journal. Retrieved 2021-05-29.
  9. Boyce, Dave. "Sequoia high school district superintendent Pat Gemma to retire". www.almanacnews.com. Retrieved 2021-05-29.
  10. "Sequoia Union High School District - District Elections". www.seq.org. Retrieved 2021-05-29.
  11. "Carlmont vice principal investigated for inappropriate conduct with male students". The Mercury News. 2020-09-03. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
  12. "High school superintendent Mary Streshly announces resignation amid calls for district to fire her". The Almanac. 2020-09-18. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
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