New Inglewood school district leader takes the helm
Vincent Matthews, the Inglewood Unified School District's new state administrator, got a warm welcome at a reception with parents, school staff, and civic leaders at the La Tijera Academy of Excellence Tuesday evening.
“It’s an opportunity to build a rigorous, robust academic program for kids and families,” Matthews said as he entered the reception and talked to a sixth grade boy. “Once upon a time I was the young man who just interviewed me, the young people I see as I’m walking through classrooms. Once upon a time I was that young man sitting in the classroom."
The former superintendent of San Jose Unified, Matthews was appointed in September by California State Superintendent Tom Torlakson to head the troubled Inglewood school district. He will draw an annual salary of $250,000.
Inglewood Unified has been operating under state control since 2012. That's when its school board requested an emergency loan from Sacramento to help meet its financial obligations. The state approved up to $55 million, and the district has taken $29 million in loans, which must be repaid within 20 years.
With the emergency legislation, the state superintendent took over governance of the district and is charged with appointing a state administrator. Members of the district's elected board serve as advisors and will do so until the district can put in place better financial systems and controls.
It will be up to the state superintendent to decide when the district has developed a solid financial plan for the future.
Inglewood civic leaders are placing a lot of hope on Matthews’ shoulders.
“We’ve been waiting for a long time for this school district to be right,” Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts Jr. told told about 300 people in the auditorium.
Butts and other area elected officials have been lobbying California Superintendent of Public Schools to appoint a new trustee who can ramp up the school district's performance.
“And now truly now believe that you have a representative who is going to take you, not only out of state receivership, but take you to the level that we should expect and New Inglewood school district leader takes the helm | 89.3 KPCC:
