By Chelsea Turner
The Capistrano Unified School District Board of Trustees appointed Dr. David Stewart as assistant superintendent of elementary school leadership and instruction at the Board of Trustees’ July 15 meeting.
Ms. Jennifer Smalley, who previously held the title, has since been appointed to the assistant superintendent of secondary school leadership and instruction.
Over the past fifteen years, Dr. Stewart has had the opportunity to serve diverse student populations in a variety of roles including executive director, AVID director, and principal.
Dr. Stewart has positively influenced Capistrano Unified in the area of leadership development by serving as both the executive director of professional learning and employee engagement. During this time he was involved in leading districtwide learning in Great First Instruction and the implementation of Professional Learning Communities throughout the district.
“It is a privilege to continue my support of our elementary programs,” said Dr. Stewart. “We have a world class team of educators, support staff, and leaders dedicated to improving the outcomes of each and every student.”
Most recently, he stepped in to work with the district’s educational technology team to equip teachers with tools necessary for distance learning in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Additionally, Dr. Stewart has led the district’s leadership team through cultural proficiency training, designed to create environments that embrace and value diversity.
“I am truly honored to serve in this roll and prepare our students to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world,” he said.
Laura Lyon will serve as Dr. Stewart’s successor as the Executive Director of Human Resource Services/Employee Engagement, effective September 1.