SBUSD Hires New Superintendent of Business Services

The (SBUSD) Board of Trustees approved several motions at Thursday evening’s board meeting, including the hiring of a new Superintendent of Business Services and the reinstatement of one paid work day for a number of district employees.

SBUSD Superintendent Carol Parish said that the recruit, Abdollah Saadat, and comes to the district with vast experience, citing his previous time at school districts in Encinitas and Fallbrook.

“Abdollah is an intelligent and dedicated person,” Parish said. “I’m excited to have him here tonight, and am happy the board has voted to approve his instatement.”

Saadat said continuing to put children first is among his goals.

“This is going to be a great school year,” he said when he took the podium. “We are trying to achieve great things in the education field, and the children must be put first. This will be a great school year toward long-time student achievement.”

Assistant Superintendent Kim Phifer spoke next, asking the board to reinstate one work year reduction day for classified employees and requested the board approve the elimination of one unpaid furlough days for certificated management, classified management and other employees.

“This can be funded through the use of ,” Phifer said.

She further requested the board approve the posting and hiring of a Preschool Coach as a means of maintaining eligibility for state-funded Preschool for All funds.

“The master teacher position was during the reorganization of our preschools, and in order to maintain funding from Preschool for All, the state looks at how kids are performing, how they’re improving and how instruction is being delivered,” she said. 

“By hiring a coach, who will work alongside the teachers, often during instruction, they will be able to give feedback regarding goals and outcomes their kids are having. This person will provide a lot of planning development and support for preschool teachers, and this position aligns with the goals of Preschool for All.”

Each of the three motions passed with unanimous votes.

Trustee Melanie Ellsworth then talked about the success of recent fundraising efforts by the South Bay Education Foundation. 

By opening the and SBUSD District Office parking lots for during the , the foundation was able to raise “$14,298 with some quarters that still need to be counted,” she said, noting that the foundation will use the funds to award grants to district schools.

Parish said the foundation had the execution of the fundraiser down to an art form.

“This was a very successful fundraiser, and it was wonderful to have all of our volunteers come together to park cars,” she said.  “Do I think we’d do it again? Yes. In a heartbeat.”