The San Ysidro School District has been plagued with trouble at the top in recent years, but the board is hoping to change that trend with its newly named superintendent.
The board voted unanimously to hire Gina Potter, who grew up in the South Bay and has almost three decades of school administrator experience. She’s currently the Deputy Superintended with the Lemon Grove School District.
Certainly on paper, Potter seems like an obvious pick, but what district parents want now is to start that long road back to trust and confidence in the district.
“I will take care of all of the students and the parents,” Potter said at an introductory news conference Thursday. “I am a fantastic listener. It's time for us to all come together and put San Ysidro on the map in education."
Potter entertained media questions but steered clear of past controversies. She is the ninth person to take on the San Ysidro School District Superintendent position in the last five years.
Some of Potter's predecessors resigned under a cloud of financial scandals. One was even sentenced to federal prison.
The district hasn't had a permanent superintendent since September when Julio Fonseca resigned. Parents complained the focus turned away from the students.
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Potter says she wants to change that.
Potter has worked 27 years in education, including a stint as a school principal and has two school-age children of her own.
She says her first order of business is restoring the trust.
"Together, as a team of parents, and staff members, and students, and all of the community partners, we are going to come together in a dynamic way to make the best school district that we have here in San Diego County."
Potter's first day on the job has not yet been determined as she is still contractually obligated to the Lemon Grove School District.
