KCSOS board appoints new superintendent
May 11—The Kern County Board of Education appointed John Mendiburu as the next Kern County Superintendent of Schools on Thursday upon the retirement of current superintendent Mary C. Barlow.
Mendiburu, the associate superintendent of schools, is scheduled to assume his post July 1 after Barlow leaves, according to the Kern County Board of Education's resolution appointing Mendiburu.
The public comment section of the Thursday night meeting consisted of various superintendents from across Kern County approving of Mendiburu's selection because they said it allows for continuity in leadership. But other residents said having Mendiburu appointed to the office after Barlow was elected in June — she won outright then and didn't appear on the November ballot for a term that started this January — is contrary to the purpose of an elected position.
Area 7 Trustee Lori Cisneros abstained from voting on a resolution to appoint Mendiburu, saying this process did not abide by the Constitution. Board of Education Trustees Ronald Froehlich, Joe Marcano, Jose Gonzalez, Paula Bray and Daniel Giordano approved the resolution. Area 3 Trustee Mary Little was absent.
Contacted immediately after he was sworn into the office, Mendiburu told The Californian he never imagined reaching this position, which oversees more than 200,000 kids across Kern County.
His parents were immigrants from Spain, he said, adding he grew up in this community.
"Very honored, and humbled," Mendiburu said of his appointment. He added KCSOS' focus has always been on students and he plans to continue this legacy through collaborative work.
Mendiburu rose through the ranks at the Rosedale Union School District, where he was a student. After teaching, he became principal of Almondale Elementary School and eventually the superintendent of Rosedale Union in 2009, according to a Facebook post by the district.
A news release from KCSOS credits Mendiburu for leading various programs that helped deliver millions of dollars in state funding to local schools.
Barlow, who was appointed superintendent in 2017 and then elected in 2018, has overseen a tumultuous time in education. When she first took office, the county experienced teacher shortages, few dollars coming from the state and a minority achievement gap, according to The Californian's reporting in 2016.
She also guided Kern schools through the tumultuous COVID-19 pandemic, which ushered unprecedented times for education.
Mendiburu will inherit the pandemic's lingering effects in school systems and kids. The loss of learning drastically affected state test scores — many school districts reported a low percentage of students meeting the state standard in math and English. Large numbers of teachers resigned as politics increasingly found its way into classrooms.
You can reach Ishani Desai at 661-395-7417. You can also follow her at @_ishanidesai on Twitter.
