Oak Grove names new superintendent

Oak Grove Union School District hired a new superintendent.

Alan Vann Gardner starts in July. He’s replacing Michael Kellison, who accepted a job at American Community School in Amman, Jordan.

A Petaluma resident, Vann Gardner currently is principal of Tiburon’s Del Mar Middle School. Under his 11-year tenure, the school boosted its standardized test scores and received numerous awards for integrating technology, project-based learning and student portfolios, Oak Grove officials said. He also helped introduce restorative practices districtwide.

Vann Gardner holds a doctorate of education from the University of San Francisco, where he also worked as an adjunct professor from 2005 to 2010.

Matthew “Shawn” Schondel, president of the Oak Grove school board, called the man a “great fit” for the district, which serves 800 elementary and middle school students from the west Santa Rosa, Sebastopol and Graton areas. He was selected from two dozen applicants.

The Sonoma County Office of Education helped with the search. The superintendent’s job pays $145,500 annually.