Paso Robles school district chooses new superintendent. Who was picked?
Paso Robles school trustees have selected their finalist to be the new superintendent of the district — and they found her in Santa Maria.
The Paso Robles Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees announced it will hire former Bearcat Jennifer Loftus to succeed the retiring Curt Dubost.
“We are thrilled to welcome Jennifer Loftus back to the district,” Nathan Williams, board president said in a news release.
If confirmed April 16, Loftus, who graduated from Paso Robles High School in 1992, would start on July 1.
“Returning to Paso is like coming full circle in my career and a homecoming,” Loftus told The Tribune on Tuesday. “It was at Paso Robles High School that a couple of teachers saw in me something that I did not yet see in myself. It was their belief in my ability and potential that inspired me to go to college. As the superintendent for Paso Robles, I will be given an opportunity to give back to a community that means so much to me.”
Paso Robles superintendent pick to work closely with district during transition
Williams said Loftus was selected from a field of 23 applicants to lead the district. He added the School Board is “excited to work with and help Mrs. Loftus feel welcomed and ready for her new endeavor with PRJUSD.”
“Mrs. Loftus impressed each of us with her professionalism, experience, composure and charisma. She was personable, approachable and exuded a strong leadership ability,” he said.
Williams said the district plans to introduce her to staff on April 16, and “will be creating other opportunities over the next few months to bring her into our Paso education family.”
“She will be working closely with staff on all levels, including Dr. Dubost,” he said.
In turn, the retiring superintendent deliberately stayed at arm’s length away from the “rigorous and highly competitive” process of determining who would replace him, he told The Tribune in an email.
Now, he plans to do “all I can to make it a smooth transition and to assist her in addressing our ambitious academic goals,” Dubost said. Then as a retiree, he plans to continue with the district in various volunteer roles.
“The fact she is a Paso alumnus with strong ties to the community will serve her well,” he said. “I am advised she is strongly supported by all of our diverse board members, which also bodes well for her success.”
Dubost added that “many of the major issues that have been at the forefront of our efforts in recent months and years have now been largely resolved.”
“This will then allow her to make improved student academic achievement her primary focus,” he said.
New superintendent: ‘I see the limitless potential of Paso Robles’
The district has faced a number of challenges in recent years — from budget cuts to falling enrollment and the pending closure of Georgia Brown Elementary School — but Williams said Loftus appeared prepared to bring the district into a new era.
“During her interview, Mrs. Loftus showed an understanding and recognition of our diverse community and the need for strong leadership to continue to bring us together through potential challenges,” he said. “Whether it’s the academic progress we are all eager to see rise up, the cultural differences we hope to see bridged or the socioeconomic disadvantages and advantages that we hope to create better equity in, Mrs. Loftus is qualified and ready to do her part as a leader in taking each on and shared her desire to do so through her responses.”
Loftus brings a 26-year educational and management background to her new post, with experience acquired from the Central Coast to the East Coast.
Her current assignment is as executive director of educational services in the Santa Maria Bonita School District. Previously she has served as an assistant principal, principal, director of administrative services, director of teaching and learning, adjunct professor and a state consultant in early childhood services.
Santa Maria district officials will wait to comment on Loftus and her new job until after the Paso Robles board ratifies its selection, spokeswoman Maggie White told The Tribune on Monday.
Loftus has a bachelor of science degree from Millikin University, plus master’s and post-master’s degrees in educational leadership from Eastern Illinois University and the University of Illinois. The 50-year-old also earned a Chief School Business Official endorsement.
Loftus said she and her husband, Rusty Loftus, intend to move to Paso Robles once she is in her new position.
“Educationally, I see the limitless potential of Paso Robles,” Loftus said. “I’m excited for the opportunity to serve as the district’s leader, and I’m excited to get to know my community all over again.”
This story was originally published April 3, 2024 at 2:39 PM.
