Fresno’s Central Unified selects superintendent finalist in under 3 months
Following just over two months of interim leadership, Central Unified’s school board has selected a finalist in the district’s superintendent search.
Dr. Mark E. Marshall of the Los Banos Unified School District was announced as the west Fresno school district’s sole finalist on Monday. Trustees will cement the decision at the June 10 board meeting.
Johnathon Burrows, communications officer for Central Unified, confirmed via phone that the board intended for the process to be swift and wrapped up before the end of the school year.
Ultimately, school trustees picked Marshall, who has nearly four decades of experience in public education, to lead the district following a national search.
“I’m very excited because I’m looking forward to coming to the Central Unified School District and being a catalyst for moving forward for students,” Marshall said. “It’s all about students. You put students first, everything else falls in place.”
Marshall’s experience includes 13 years as a superintendent in California, including eight years in Los Banos. Marshall said that he plans to listen to community members’ thoughts on the district and immerse himself in the environment when he steps into the role.
Dr. Eimear O’Brien, the former superintendent of Clovis Unified, has served as the district’s interim superintendent since March 26, after the previous superintendent, longtime Central Unified educator Ketti Davis, parted with the district.
O’Brien said the swift search allowed her to focus on “helping the team here at Central Unified finish strong” and assisting in the transition to new leadership.
“I feel very confident that the board selected an outstanding candidate and that this new chapter will be a very productive, successful one for Central Unified,” O’Brien said.
