County Superintendent of Schools Inspires Warner Graduates

Dr. Ron Koenig

Superintendent Warner

Unified School District

A picturesque backdrop of San Diego mountains and beautiful blue skies provided a wonderful, serene setting for the graduation ceremonies at Warner High School. Warner graduates proudly wearing their traditional caps and gowns were enthralled by the inspirational message delivered by San Diego County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Randy Ward.

Dr. Ward infused a touch of class and humor into his message to graduates and hundreds of attending family members, community members, alumni and Warner staff.

“No fear!”

When you encounter experiences in life as they may appear in various forms, have no fear. Address the situation head-on and overcome any obstacle that may stand in the way of reaching your goals.

Several personal experiences were shared that outlined examples of how Dr. Ward overcame fear only to be stronger in the years to come. He encouraged the graduates to embrace the moment and rely on their education and personal growth in overcoming their fear.

Dr. Ward’s education career began in 1979 as a preschool teacher in his hometown of Boston. He is fluent in Spanish and English. He has also taught in Colombia and Venezuela.

Prior to being named San Diego County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Ward was the state-appointed administrator of the Oakland Unified School District, from 2003 until 2006. Under his leadership, student test scores in Oakland Unified increased significantly, with the largest increase in the Academic Performance Index (API) of any unified school district in the state.

Early in his tenure as county superintendent of schools, Dr. Ward and his staff coordinated the local education community’s response to the San Diego County wildfires of 2007, as well as facilitating the relationship between county health officials and local schools in response to the H1N1 pandemic in 2009.

Warner graduates and community members had an opportunity to speak personally with Dr. Ward after the ceremony. Graduates and family members thanked Dr. Ward for his graciousness and personal interest in the students in Warner Springs.

“I enjoyed coming to Warner Springs and visiting with the graduates and their families,” stated Dr. Ward. “I’d love to come back some time in the future. Congratulations to the graduates and the fine staff at Warner.”

Dr. Ward’s message to the graduates and his personal interest in the students in Warner demonstrates his continued leadership and commitment to excellence in all San Diego County schools.