New Lake Elsinore USD Superintendent To Start Work July 1

LAKE ELSINORE, CA — Starting July 1, the Lake Elsinore Unified School District will have a new superintendent who has extensive experience in Riverside County.

The Lake Elsinore Unified Board of Trustees approved an employment contract with Dr. Ryan Lewis at its regularly scheduled April 7 meeting. Lewis will follow in the footsteps of Dr. Doug Kimberly who will retire in June 2022 after more than 10 years of service to the district.

Lewis' base salary will be $285,000 per year, according to the board-approved contract.

Lewis is currently the assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction in the Riverside Unified School District, a post he has held for six years. During the 13 years prior, Lewis served as a principal for various elementary, middle, and high schools in the Corona-Norco Unified School District. Prior to his CNUSD administrative roles, Lewis served as a teacher in the district.

“After our extensive search and interview process with very strong competitors, we found Dr. Ryan Lewis. He was our clear selection among dozens of highly qualified leaders who applied, and those who received an interview. He is known for his commitment to building strong leaders within his district including students, staff, and parents. He strongly believes in building dedicated teams at all levels through the belief that every student has talent and potential," said LEUSD Board of Trustees President Juan Saucedo.

Lewis said he is ready to roll up his sleeves and begin work in the LEUSD.

“I am honored and excited to work with our Board of Trustees, district leadership staff, teachers, classified employees, and our community in the outstanding Lake Elsinore Unified School District," he said. "We will all work together to accomplish our goals in a transparent and collaborative manner. I am grateful for the leadership Dr. Kimberly provided for the past 10 years and look forward to joining the Lake Elsinore team in the near future."

Kimberly announced his retirement from the LEUSD in December.

"I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to work with you all," he said last year as part of his retirement announcement. "I believe the District's future is very bright because of the dedicated people of the District. Measure V will continue to provide resources for innovative educational technologies for decades to come. It has been my most significant professional honor to be a part of the LEUSD team.”

On November 8, 2016, the $105 million school bond known as Measure V was passed by voters in the LEUSD with a 66.74 percent majority. The measure has allowed the district to expand instructional technology in classrooms, implement solar projects, and modernize facilities.

Saucedo said Lewis will bring new perspectives and "an excellent vision" for the district.

"His expectations for himself and others are very high and always centered on accelerating student achievement," Saucedo said. "He admires and respects the people with whom he works and is a life-long learner.”

Lewis earned a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from St. John Fisher College, and a master’s degree in educational administration from California State University, San Bernardino. Additionally, he earned his doctorate in organizational leadership from the University of La Verne. He and his wife, Sarah, have three sons together.