Socorro Shiels picked as Sonoma Valley district superintendent

Socorro Shiels, who ran Santa Rosa City Schools for three years before joining a state agency that works to improve schools across California, is poised to return to Sonoma County.

Shiels, 46, is the finalist to become superintendent of the Sonoma Valley Unified School District following an extensive search that drew ?30 candidates from four states.

Shiels’ experience and compassion make her a great candidate to lead Sonoma Valley Unified, school board President Britta Johnson said.

“Socorro expressed an earnest enthusiasm to build positive relationships amongst stakeholders, support for teachers and a shared vision of school community and student success. She is also known for her commitment to accelerating student achievement at all levels and her belief that ‘the magic happens in the classrooms.’ Her credentials and knowledge of the California educational environment was unmatched among our accomplished field,” Johnson said.

The school board unanimously selected Shiels as the finalist for the position, which has been filled since July by former UCLA chancellor Charles Young following the abrupt departure of Superintendent Louann Carlomagno. Young, who retired to the Sonoma Valley, agreed to serve in the position part-time while the district searched for a permanent replacement.

Shiels has nearly 20 years of public education experience at the administrative and classroom level, serving as a bilingual teacher, high school vice principal and elementary school principal.

In 2012, she took over Santa Rosa City Schools, the county’s largest district with more than 16,000 students across 25 school sites. Shiels told Sonoma Valley school board trustees that her proudest accomplishments include her work to embrace the concept of restorative justice at the district and create a strategic plan to prepare every student for college and careers.

Additionally, Shiels led efforts to make Santa Rosa schools a partner in efforts to improve community health and economic stability, serving on the county’s Health Action Board and the Upstream Investment Team. She continues to serve Sonoma County as a First Five commissioner.

Shiels also served on the Instructional Quality Commission for the state Department of Education and as a representative for the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team.

She left Santa Rosa in January 2016 to join the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence, a state agency that advises districts under the state’s new accountability system. She is currently the agency’s education director, working with volunteer districts with the goal of improving community engagement, decision-making and student success.

The Sonoma Valley school board will vote on her contract at its April 17 meeting.