BRSSD Chooses New Superintendent
and Chief Business Official

Dear Belmont-Redwood Shores Staff and Community,

We are very pleased to provide you with some exciting news about our district’s new hires for Superintendent and Chief Business Official (CBO), both of whom will begin their duties on July 1, 2020. Please see the below press release for more details. If you have any questions, you may contact us at [email protected].

Best regards,

Suvarna Bhopale and Rahila Passi
School Board Leads for Superintendent Search

For Immediate Release: March 27, 2020

Belmont Redwood-Shores School District Chooses New Superintendent
The Belmont-Redwood Shores School District (BRSSD) Board of Education announced at yesterday’s meeting in a unanimous vote that Dan Deguara has been appointed as the new Superintendent of Schools for BRSSD. After an extensive, five-month search process that included receiving in-person and online feedback from teachers, staff, parents and the community, the Board chose Deguara for his established instructional leadership, broad knowledge of human resources and fiscal issues, and strength in collaborative leadership. 
“Because we began our search process ahead of many neighboring districts, our Board was able to interview a robust, highly qualified field of candidates,” said BRSSD Board President, Suvarna Bhopale. “Dan (Deguara) impressed us greatly because of his proven track record of focusing on the academic success of all students and his ability to use innovative strategies to achieve that success. We are confident that Dan will have a long and successful career with BRSSD, be a visionary leader and a great match for our staff, students and community.”

Deguara is a Bay Area native and has 25 years of experience in TK-8 education in the Evergreen School District, having served as a classroom teacher, site administrator in elementary and middle school, and Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, a position in which he has served for over 5 years. He has been an active participant in the inaugural cohort of The Deeper Learning Leadership Forum, which brings together educational leaders from across the country to address issues of educational inequity. Because of his work in developing the “Profile of a Learner,” Evergreen School District was recognized in 2018 as a California Exemplary School District.

Deguara also has experience in developing a $114 million Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) for a school district with 18 schools, in leading parcel tax measures including a Citizens Oversight Committee, in managing and refinancing district bond sales, and in facilitating labor relationships through interest based bargaining. Among his many accomplishments, Deguara has been featured as a speaker at EdSurge Fusion 2018 (on the topic Have Devices, Drivers Wanted, focused on personalized learning) and at the 2018 Carnegie Foundation Summit (on the topic You Can’t Lead What You Don’t Measure: Prioritizing Engagement, Rigor and Culture) . 

“I’m honored to have been selected to serve as the new Superintendent of Belmont-Redwood Shores School District, and it is with great pleasure that I join the learning community,” stated Deguara. “I believe that our schools contribute to students growing up to become resilient, responsible and compassionate citizens in a global community. I look forward to working collaboratively with the Board, staff, students and community to ensure that all students are prepared for success.”

Deguara holds a Master’s degree in Educational Administration, a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies, all from Santa Clara University. He enjoys being active and spending time with his family. With two elementary age boys of his own, he and his wife are often at the ball field, spending time outdoors, or relaxing with extended family and friends. Deguara begins on July 1, 2020, upon BRSSD’s current Superintendent, Michael Milliken, completing his term.

Belmont Redwood-Shores School District Chooses New CBO
The Board also announced the hiring of Rui Bao as BRSSD’s new CBO. Bao joins BRSSD from Caliber Public Schools, a charter network in Richmond and Vallejo, where she built operational foundations and spearheaded the opening of new schools. During her time at Caliber, Bao also oversaw strategic planning, data, and co-led professional development for the central office. "I feel so inspired by all the amazing work the BRSSD team has done for students, and am excited to build upon our strengths to continue delivering an unparalleled education in the community," stated Bao.
Bao transitioned to a full-time career in education because of her deep belief that it is the most important lever for changing lives in our society and was drawn to BRSSD because of its forward-thinking initiatives around teaching 21st century skills. Before working in education, she was a management consultant in the Corporate Finance division of McKinsey & Company, advising clients in several industries on topics ranging from long-term strategy to improving and sustaining operational efficiency. Prior to McKinsey, Bao worked at United Way, America's Promise Alliance, and Anheuser-Busch. She holds a Master's degree in Education Leadership from the Broad Institute for Urban Education and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale University. She recently moved to Redwood City with her partner and enjoys cooking, hiking, and board games. Bao begins on July 1, 2020, upon the retirement of current CBO, Craig Goldman.

“On behalf of the Board, I want to sincerely thank Michael Milliken and Craig Goldman for their years of remarkable, dedicated service to BRSSD,” said Bhopale. “While we all will miss Michael and Craig, we are excited to welcome Dan and Rui into the BRSSD community.”
 Suvarna Bhopale | Amy Koo | Samuel Leinbach
Jim Howard | Rahila Passi
Board of Trustees