WCCUSD1108 Bissell AvenueRichmond, CA 94801, Room 100Phone: (510) 231-1101Fax: (510) 236-6784, Dr. Kenneth Chris Hurst,SuperintendentEmail:chris.hurst@wccusd.net, Rosa Cornejo, Executive SecretaryEmail:RCornejo@wccusd.net, Genesis Munoz, Senior Confidential SecretaryEmail: genesis.munoz@wccusd.net. His approach to collaborative leadership and knowledge of teaching strategies, as well as community involvement, are just what we need here in West Contra Costa.. 12/31/2022 7:59 PM. Dr. Hurst should identify a few professional practices such as Explicit Instruction or Formative Assessment with Descriptive Feedback and develop a plan to implement, monitor, and hold everyone accountable for the execution of these aligned practices at very high performance levels. When that doesnt happen, what the research says, by the time a student gets into third grade, then they are 30 million words behind those students whose families read to them 30 million words. The district has hired a new superintendent, Kenneth "Chris" Hurst, who will begin May 17. I had a principal that was a mentor for me as well. Based on his 23 years of professional experience in education, he has some concrete ideas for how to do that in this San Francisco Bay Area district, which includes Richmond and several surrounding communities. Dr. Hurst has a focused intention to plant seeds of greatness in WCCUSD students, provide resources, and create opportunities.. Before his career in education, Dr. Hurst served 12 years in the Marines. I talked about [social, emotional learning] as well, thats a big concern. The Boards vote followed an exhaustive six-month search process in which WCCUSD held more than 50 listening sessions with students, families, staff, and community stakeholders. I think we took the time we needed, Phillips said. I think ethnic studies is certainly a great way to start. Do you have any plan to address any trauma that may have occurred in the household during the pandemic? In 2004, Bersin divided the three schools into 14 smaller 500-student academies, funded in part by millions of dollars in grants, mostly from the Gates foundation. And as I look at large, urban systems like San Diego or LA or Oakland or Long Beach and even, West Contra Costa Unified School District, these are large systems which for the most part are failing are Black and brown kids. Dear Abby: Am I overreacting to my European daughter-in-law's behavior? The long term goal is to really transform our system of education so that more and more of our students are achieving, high achieving and achieving their goals to either go to college, or going to a particular career. He also boosted the districts linked learning programs, which integrate academics with real-world work experiences. And if we can build capacity with the leaders so that they are expert observers of instruction, especially culturally responsive teaching, then they can better support the teachers and build their capacity. One of the things that I like about him is hes not coming here to learn how to be a superintendent, Phillips said. So if there is some trauma thats happening with a child at the home that our teachers know precisely the steps to take to get help or to refer to that child. Superintendent Dr. Kenneth "Chris" Hurst, Sr. is WCCUSD's 10th permanent superintendent. Find Us . Q&A: new West Contra Costa schools superintendent discusses bias in Watching superintendents fail in LCFF-funded districts in high-cost counties has become routine. But WCCUSD spent just $450 (3%) more per student than Oceanside did last year yet (a) Oceanside has only 61% disadvantaged vs 71% in WCCUSD, Read More. Dr. Hurst joins WCCUSD after spending the past five years as the Superintendent of the Othello District in Othello, Washington where he significantly increased graduation rates and decreased chronic absenteeism rates for students. Hurst is equity-focused, has a background of increasing student academic achievement, is data-driven, works in collaboration with all labor partners and families, and is always student-centered, Board Trustee Demetrio Gonzalez Hoy said. WCCUSD selects Dr. Kenneth Chris Hurst, Sr. as new superintendent Dr. Hurst may think that his SoCal experience will help him. Hurst said he was drawn to West Contra Costa for a similar reason he was drawn to Othello: wanting to improve educational systems to ensure student success. In Oceanside, Dr. Hurst collaborated with ConnectEd California, implementing Linked Learning to establish K-12 industry-aligned pathways to prepare students to succeed in college and career. Paris Ile-de-France Chamber of Commerce and Industry It takes things like early literacy as well. Agreed. He received a bachelor of science in mathematics at California State University, San Marcos, in 1997 before teaching math, algebra, college preparation and computer science in Poway. But Hurst doesnt just want to throw things at people, he said in an interview with EdSource. A lengthy search process involved 50 listening sessions with staff and families, and the district fielded over 6,000 comments from the community, according to the release. How do we create spaces that allow us to really develop those relationships with adults and students and students to students as well.? Email [emailprotected]Copyright (C) 2015, by Don Gosney and Felix Hunziker. Hurst got his start in the education field in San Diego County, after serving 12 years in the Marines; he served combat duty in Desert Storm and was a drill instructor, communications specialist and maintenance supervisor at Camp Pendleton. Then you dont see students walk into the classroom, where they disengaged. He became assistant principal in Poway Unified just north of San Diego, where he helped open Westview High School in 2002. Hurst, 59, will begin May 17 and work alongside Duffy to transition into the role until Duffy leaves in July. To get more reports like this one, click here to sign up for EdSources no-cost daily email on latest developments in education. Dr. Chris Hurst, Superintendent of WCCUSD and the Office of African American Student Achievement (OAASA) led the effort to raise the Pan-African flag at all schools and at the district office for. And how do we get them to understand that students are bringing in differences? Thinking outside the box will simply never outweigh the fact that WCCUSD has 9% less purchasing power than its demographic peers elsewhere in California. Smith-Folds added that her biggest reason for choosing Hurst was hearing him speak about his wife, Crystal, a special education teacher who Hurst turns to as a sounding board for major decisions. His military service includes Maintenance Supervisor at Camp Pendleton (19911993), Combat Duty (Desert Storm), Saudi Arabia (19901991), Communications Instructor/Supervisor at Camp Pendleton (19881990), Drill Instructor, San Diego (19861988), and Communications Specialist at Camp Pendleton (19821986). West Contra Costa Unified - School Directory Details (CA Dept of Education) And I really am now interested in making sure that that doesnt happen to kids, which is why Im really invested in education but especially in systemic inequities and vertical inequities within the system. Agreed. Kenneth Chris Hurst Sr. is the new leader of the West Contra Costa Unified School District,replacing Matthew Duffy, who led WCCUSD for five years. 2023 Richmond Confidential. How do you like to spend your leisure time? I am honored and excited to be the new Superintendent of West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD), and to partner with students, educators, families, community, and business partners to ensure we are meeting the districts mission to prepare students for post-secondary education and to be responsible, thinking, contributing members of our global society. Vancouver Public Schools has. Diablo Unified, Kyla Johnson-Trammell of Oakland Unified, Vincent Matthews of San Francisco Unified and Harry Doc Ervin of Bakersfield City School District. University of CaliforniaNorth Gate HallBerkeley, CA. Your wife, Crystal Hurst, is also in education? Ive been to France and Italy and Austria. Really, we love to read. All comments are moderated for civility, relevance and other considerations. If it needed to be longer, it would have been. This is an extremely important hire, and it was very important we took the time to do the process right. Keep it simple and focused on a few aligned professional practices. Kenneth Hurst Sr. chosen as superintendent of West Contra Costa schools You know, you hear about the districts that are mandating vaccinations, we are not there yet, but were having conversations about strongly encouraging vaccinations because we know thats one of the best mitigation strategies that we can employ. Your access to this page has been blocked. Kenneth Chris Hurst was chosen as the next superintendent of West Contra Costa Unified. If we build those early literacy skills, then we have more literate students and theyre ready to engage in the learning when theyre in kindergarten. The Bay Area is a "liberal" place with perhaps the worst economic inequality in the country, and until that changes, WCCUSD will have the same outcomes. He holds a masters degree in educational administration and a bachelors in mathematics from California State University San Marcos. I have seen him on the phone, while emailing someone and texting yet another about a different issue, Stevenson said via email. And how do our teachers address and work with those differences as well? The district has schools in Richmond, El Cerrito, San Pablo, Hercules, Pinole and other cities and communities in west Contra Costa County. Chris Hurst's Phone Number and Email Last Update. What are your top priorities for the school district in the coming year? After a nearly six-month search, the West Contra Costa Unified School District has hired a new superintendent. My dad was in the Army for 30 years and I was in the Marine Corps for 11 years and I loved it. At USC, I had a professor that showed me how to challenge the system, and that you cant just go on to public education and accept the condition that its in, that we have to literally rewrite the script. Paris le-de-France CCI is a source of proposals, informs debates on key issues and plays an active role in the growth of local companies and the economy in its territory. As Superintendent of the 4,500 student District located about 3 hours southeast of Seattle, Dr. Hurst increased graduation rates by 16 percent from 71 percent to 87 percent and reduced absences by 33 percent. The release also credits Hurst with boosting graduation rates by 16% and lowering absences by 33% at the Othello district, which has about 4,500 students. new leader of the West Contra Costa Unified School District, not serving our Latinx kids and our Black kids well, Richmond expands job opportunities year-round for city youth, Smoky Chevron flare alarms residents, spews sulfur dioxide into air, Richmonds Black population declining: You cant really locate a solid African American community. I'm excited about this partnership.. Prior to his long career in education, he served 12 years in the U.S. Marine Corps. Although only 6% of the states student enrollment is Black, an even smaller percentage have been selected to run districts. Categorical Instructional Support Services (CISS), Early Learning Pre-K to Adult Educational Operations, Office of African American Student Achievement (OAASA), Teacher Support and Assistance Program (TSAP), Community Budget Advisory Committee (CBAC), Research, Assessment, Accountability & Data (RAAD), West Contra Costa Unified School District, I am excited to join the WCCUSD Community, Blackboard Web Community Manager Privacy Policy (Updated). He Read More. What happens is when kids arent being read to, theyre not reading, they come into kindergarten already behind. They are Adam Clark of Mt. But that means a lot of work needs to happen within the district, because right now, as I look at our district, West Contra Costa Unified School District, were not set up for success. So sometimes when you walk into classrooms and even college classrooms, students are disengaged. Kenneth Hurst - Superintendent - West Contra Costa Unified School Kenneth Chris Hurst, 60, who served as a superintendent at a school district in Washington state, will be West Contra Costa Unifieds first permanent Black superintendent. WCCUSD School Board Trustees Hires Dr. Kenneth Chris Hurst as the West Contra Costa Unified school board members unanimously approve a three-year superintendent contract for Kenneth Chris Hurst, shown with his wife Crystal in the center of the bottom row. CAAASA is pleased that school boards are continuing to recognize the benefits of having a racially diverse administration by selecting persons of color to lead the district.. Thats probably the biggest piece for me as far as priorities, is really working with our students. He earned a master of arts in educational administration in 2008 and a Doctorate in Education in K-12 Leadership, at the University of Southern California in 2011. In his new role, Dr. Hurst will bear the distinction of the being the WCCUSD's first permanent African American superintendent. Were coming back to in person, so I want to make sure that our students are safe, and so were doing everything in our power to make sure we have mitigation strategies in place. I believe that every person, including you, has a big vision in store for them, and what I believe is that its my responsibility to give people the tools to unlock, like what is that vision, what is my purpose in life, what was I designed to do. The position title is Secondary Teacher. I have a lot of rich experiences, so I cant say that I grew up in one single place. Before leading the Othello School District, Dr. Hurst served as Associate Superintendent of Educational Services in Oceanside Unified School District, a 19,000 student district 35 minutes northwest of San Diego.

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