Carmen Ghysels, the superintendent of the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District and a 38-year education veteran, has been named superintendent of San Rafael City Schools.
The San Rafael school board voted 5-0 Monday in favor of a three-year contract for Ghysels. Her starting annual salary will be $280,000, with a 3% raise in each of the following two years.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to serve this great district,” Ghysels said. “It is inspiring how the community embraces its schools and students.”
The contract will take effect on July 1.
“As a bilingual educator and the granddaughter of immigrants, Carmen brings a deep understanding of the diverse needs and challenges of our students,” said Gina Daly, the board president.
“With her decades of experience in improving student achievement and prioritizing student well-being, we are confident she will lead our district with compassion and effectiveness,” Daly said.
Ghysels will succeed Jim Hogeboom, whose retirement date is June 30. She said she will relocate to San Rafael, where she has family.
“I’m thrilled and ready to partner with the dedicated and talented teachers, staff, families, partners and board to take all our schools and programs to the next level for every student’s success,” she said.
Hogeboom told Ghysels on Monday that it is “great to know the district will be in your trusted hands.”
“I couldn’t think of a better person to take over after me,” he said.
Ghysels was selected from a field of 19 candidates. The field was narrowed to six people, who were then interviewed by a community advisory panel composed of district staffers, employee union representatives and other stakeholders.
“The board has selected an experienced leader who knows the job of superintendent, has family ties to San Rafael and who will be able to connect with all members of our school community,” said Morgan Agnew, a high school teacher who is president of the San Rafael Federation of Teachers.
Brianna Padilla, an elementary and middle school instructional coach and president of the San Rafael Teachers Association, said the union is “excited to welcome Ms. Ghysels to the San Rafael community.”
“SRTA educators look forward to collaborating with her in advocating for the highest quality educational experiences for our students, for purposeful and impactful professional development for our educators, and for a more equitable San Rafael community,” Padilla said.
Tania Morales, president of the district’s California School Employees Association chapter, a union representing classified workers, echoed the sentiments.
“CSEA is looking forward to working with and developing a collaborative relationship with incoming superintendent Carmen Ghysels,” Morales said. “We are hopeful that her experience in education, both personal and professional, will serve our students in an equitable and beneficial manner.”
Ghysels has led the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District, which has 4,200 students, for the last three years. Prior to that, she was a bilingual teacher, special education specialist, special day class teacher, instructional coach, principal, special education director, assistant superintendent and deputy superintendent. She has worked at the Mountain View Whisman School District and the Sunnyvale School District in the Bay Area.
Ghysels was raised as an English learner and is fluent in Spanish. She began her career as a bilingual kindergarten teacher in Houston and has worked at several districts in the Southwest.
Ghysels holds a bachelor’s degree in special education from Texas A&M University and a master’s degree in instructional and educational technology from San Jose State University.
The San Rafael district serves about 7,000 students in six elementary schools, one K-8 school, one middle school and three high schools.
Ghysels is the second Marin school district to hire a new superintendent for the 2023-24 school year. The Novato Unified School District hired Tracy Smith, a superintendent in Sonoma County and a Novato resident, for its top post starting July 1.
The Mill Valley School District and the Sausalito Marin City School District are also recruiting new superintendents.
