School board selects new superintendent

Anne Staffieri, assistant superintendent of human resources for Ramona Unified School District from 2011-13, is the community’s new superintendent of schools.

School board president Kim Lasley announced the appointment when trustees returned to open session after a one-and-a-half-hour closed session Friday evening.

Staffieri, 47, has been assistant superintendent of human resources for Escondido Union High School District for the past three years. Her first day as Ramona Unified superintendent will be July 1. She will replace Robert Graeff, Ed.D., who will retire after 15 years with the district on June 30.

Her employment contract with the district is being developed and will be approved at the trustees’ next board meeting on May 26, Graeff said in a statement released after her appointment on May 6.

“I think Anne is an excellent choice for the board and the community,” said Graeff. “The board had the luxury of reviewing applications from many fine candidates across the country, but ultimately centered on a person of excellent character, broad experience, and someone who has had strong familiarity with the district staff and their history.”

A graduate of Torrey Pines High School, Staffieri has degrees from Cal State University San Marcos and Brigham Young University, where she recently earned her doctorate degree in educational leadership. Her master’s from Cal State San Marcos is in curriculum development, and her bachelor’s is in biology with a minor in Spanish.

She has taught high school biology and advanced placement biology in Escondido and Valley Center and has been an administrator in Valley Center as well as Escondido and Ramona. She lives with her husband and family in Temecula, where they have raised four children.

“We are delighted to have Dr. Staffieri rejoining the district and to lead us forward into the future,” said Lasley. “Her knowledge of the district coupled with her outstanding record of leadership in human resources and as a site administrator is very appealing to the board. We have every confidence that she will be an excellent fit for the entire community.”

Since Graeff announced his retirement plans in December, the board has held private and public meetings in its search for his replacement.

The board received substantial feedback from the community about the characteristics residents would like to see in the next superintendent before advertising the position, Lasley said in April. During their closed-to-the-public meetings, the trustees reviewed applications, discussed prospective candidates, and screened, interviewed and negotiated with the top prospects.

Rather than hire a consultant to work with them in their search, the trustees in January decided to do it themselves with the assistance of Graeff and Robyn Puckett, Graeff’s administrative assistant.

In a 4-1 vote, with trustee John Rajcic voting present, the board approved Staffieri. Rajcic at previous meetings has said he votes present when he believes “the end product should be accomplished, but I don’t like the way we go about it.”

Regarding his vote Friday, he said, “A school district of 5,900 students and declining enrollment has four superintendents (one superintendent and three assistant superintendents). I don’t believe in firing people. I believe attrition should take its course, and one of the three assistant superintendents should be superintendent.”

Staffieri is expected to remain on staff with the Escondido Union School District through June 30 before joining Ramona Unified as superintendent.

Several Ramona educators who had waited in the district board room while the trustees met behind closed doors congratulated Staffieri after Lasley’s announcement. They included Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Tony Newman, Montecito High School Principal Dave Lohman, Hanson Elementary Principal Chris Gunnett, Ramona High School Librarian and Ramona Teachers Association President Cori McDonald, and Hanson Elementary fifth-grade Teacher Cory Gilbreth with her two daughters.

“I am looking forward to this new opportunity,” Staffieri said Monday. “I’m excited to be returning to Ramona and I look forward to working collaboratively with our governing board, staff, students, and parents and community.”