Photo 7-20-2012. Click to enlarge.

WATCH: Superintendent Paul Cordeiro, SCV Newsmaker of the Week (9-12-2017).

[NSD] - Paul Cordeiro became superintendent of the Newhall School District in February 2015. The appointment marked a return to Newhall, where he had previously served as assistant superintendent.

Prior to his appointment as superintendent in Newhall, Paul was superintendent of the Carpinteria Unified School District for nearly ten years. Over his tenure he initiated multiple programs to improve student achievement. Coherence of instructional programs, student assessment, data analysis and professional development are essential to the District's continued academic success. Elaboration of these elements, under Paul's leadership, yielded consecutive-year gains in academic achievement at all levels of school. In 2013 the District reached and exceeded the state's target Academic Performance Index, outperforming neighboring unified school districts in almost every student subgroup.

Over the past seven years Paul worked with private foundations and community agencies to develop the Carpinteria Children's Project, a comprehensive early childhood program that aspires to ensure readiness for all entering kindergartners. Two years ago, the District, backed by numerous private foundations, introduced THRIVE Carpinteria Cradle-to-Career, a community-driven effort that incorporates the Carpinteria Children's Project into one preschool to grade 12 "success pathway" leading to college/career readiness for all Carpinteria High School graduates.

Paul came to Carpinteria after serving five years in the Newhall School District. As Assistant Superintendent, he led an instructional program that produced six California Distinguished Schools awards, a National Blue Ribbon award and a Title I Achieving Schools award.

Before going to Newhall, Paul, as Assistant Superintendent for the Santa Barbara County Education Office, served the county's school districts in numerous capacities including building partnerships with UC Santa Barbara and various community organizations. Six years as principal of Peabody School in the Santa Barbara School District followed several administrative posts in the Los Angeles Unified School District where he started as a teacher in Boyle Heights.

Paul received his bachelor's degree from UC Irvine and his teaching credential and master's degree from UCLA. He grew up in Los Angeles, graduating from Taft High School in Woodland Hills.