LVJUSD Superintendent Kelly Bowers To Retire

LIVERMORE, CA — Livermore Joint Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Kelly Bowers will retire at the end of the 2022 school year, the district announced Friday. After 12 years as superintendent, Bowers will “graduate” alongside the class of 2022, who were kindergarteners when Bowers became superintendent.

Bowers is the longest-serving continuously seated superintendent of a unified school district in Alameda and Contra Costa counties. She was appointed superintendent in May 2010, and has been with LVJUSD for a total of 23 years in a variety of roles, including assistant superintendent of educational services, director of curriculum and special projects, elementary and middle school principal, grant writer and teacher.

Bowers can point to several accomplishments during her tenure, including:

• The passage of two parcel taxes that brought in more than $56 million in revenue
• LVJUSD’s recognition five times as a Bay Area Top Workplace.
• The creation of a Framework for Success that incorporates mental health and socioemotional learning into the curriculum, resulting in millions in federal grants.
• The incorporation of TK-12 International Baccalaureate Program (IB), an English/Spanish K-8 Dual Immersion program, high school Green Engineering Academy, and more.

“I have been fortunate to have had such a long and meaningful career in the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District and prior to that, the New Haven Unified School District,” Bowers said in a statement. “Throughout my 34+ years in public education, I have had the privilege of working with incredibly dedicated, talented, and passionate colleagues and will surely
miss the daily interaction and relationships with students, families, staff, Board Trustees, and community members.”

“It really cannot be overstated how valuable competent, consistent leadership is to an organization,” said LVJUSD Board of Education President Craig Bueno. “It creates a safe and trusted environment for those who work within it and promotes confidence in the shared vision and mission for those it serves. Dr. Bowers has provided our District with all of those elements and more. Her work ethic, drive for excellence, and commitment to students and staff has continued to elevate Livermore schools throughout her tenure. She leaves a solid foundation for ongoing growth to be built upon.”

The LVJUSD Board of Education said they are conducting a search in the hopes of appointing a new superintendent before the 2022-23 school year.