Worcester's New Superintendent: Rachel Monárrez, Calif. Educator

WORCESTER, MA — The Worcester School Committee on Thursday elected Rachel Monárrez, an assistant superintendent from San Bernardino, Calif., to become the district's next superintendent as Maureen Binienda heads toward retirement in June.

The committee's pick came after a week of interviews in Worcester with the four finalists for the job. The school committee initially picked Monárrez in a 6 to 1 vote with member Sue Mailman electing Philadelphia Chief Academic Supports Officer Malika Savoy-Brooks for the job. But the committee voted a second time to make it unanimous for Monárrez.

Monárrez has been the assistant superintendent for the San Bernardino City Unified School District since 2016. She previously served as an assistant superintendent for the Santa Rosa City Schools and as a principal in the Pomona Unified School District. She began her career as a bilingual and English immersion teacher in Pomona.

Monárrez is a graduate of the University of California, Irvine, and Claremont Graduate University. She holds a doctorate in education from Claremont.

Immediately after the vote picking Monárrez, the school committee members moved into a closed session meeting to discuss the terms of her employment.

The other finalists for the job were Boston Public Schools chief equity officer Charles Grandson and School District of Philadelphia Assistant Superintendent Sonya Somerville.

The school committee began a search for a new superintendent in October after deciding not to extend Binienda's contract past its June expiration.