The Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District this week announced it has selected a new superintendent for the board to consider at its next regular meeting.
Currently a superintendent for both the Amador County Office of Education and Amador County Unified School District, Torie Gibson is expected to replace outgoing LVJUSD superintendent Chris Van Schaack, who announced his retirement in March of this year.
The LVJUSD Board of Education will consider approval of Gibson’s employment contract on June 18, and it is expected she will begin her new role in the weeks leading up to the start of the 2024-25 school year. Until then, Gibson, her husband and dog will work on packing up to relocate from Jackson, a small town of about 5,000 in Amador County.
As someone who grew up on a cattle ranch in Red Bluff but has also worked in diverse urban areas — such as Sacramento and Stockton — Gibson shared that she is excited to join a community that has elements of both rural and urban living. The particular allure of the Bay Area, she said, is its culture of inclusivity and acceptance.
“Everything I heard about the Livermore district was nothing but positive — positive about the board, positive about their leadership team, positive about their school programs,” Gibson said.
Her goal is to build on the strong foundation that exists in LVJUSD, and she plans to start the role with research and listening, she said.
“I really want to get a good feeling over the next few months from staff about what’s working and what are the things that we need to regroup on,” Gibson said, acknowledging that she will be the first “outsider” in a long time to take the helm.
Leading with ‘an open door’
Van Schaack retires after 30 years of working for LVJUSD, including two as the superintendent. Before him, Kelly Bowers held the role for 12 years and had worked for LVJUSD for a total of 23 years before she retired in 2022.
“I very much respect that change is hard,” Gibson continued. “And so, the first 100-plus days, I just want people to get to know me. I’m an open book, I’m an open door.”
Gibson will bring 26 years of educational experience to Livermore with much of her career centered in Northern California, including the counties of San Joaquin, Sacramento, Nevada and Amador. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and an administrative credential from California State University, Sacramento; a master’s degree in education counseling from Chapman University; and a doctorate degree in organizational leadership from the University of La Verne.
“We look forward to the new perspectives and ideas she will bring to our district, while also maintaining the momentum of the progress that we’ve seen in a number of areas.”
Emily Prusso, LVJUSD board president
“We were fortunate to have had a number of great candidates to consider during this process. However, I am pleased to say that after careful consideration, Dr. Gibson’s selection was unanimous by our board,” said Emily Prusso, LVJUSD board president. “We look forward to the new perspectives and ideas she will bring to our district, while also maintaining the momentum of the progress that we’ve seen in a number of areas.”
Gibson shared that she and her husband are excited to put down roots in Livermore, where they’re both looking forward to golfing, wine tasting and being part of the community.
“I can only imagine there were a lot of very capable candidates,” she said. “I’m just really honored that (the board) really saw what I can bring to Livermore and that they are entrusting me in this position.”
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