CUSD names new El Granada Elementary principal

Carrie Betti, who most recently served as Principal of the RISE (Raising Imaginative, Intuitive, Innovative Scholars and Explorers) Community School in Oakland Unified, was appointed by the Cabrillo Unified School District Board of Education Monday evening.

The selection process included a comprehensive file review and two rounds of interviews marked by strong school community involvement.  Betti was selected from a field of forty applicants.  Her past work experience includes service as a bilingual teacher at Turnbull Learning Academy in San Mateo and as a bilingual teacher, assessment coordinator, summer school director, and reform coordinator at Garfield Charter in Menlo Park.

Betti earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from San Francisco State University and her Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from California State-East Bay in collaboration with the Bay Area Coalition of Equitable Schools’ (BayCES) LEAD program.  The new El Granada Principal is also a fluent Spanish speaker.

"I am a leader who believes in building professional trust through collaborative team building," Betti noted in her letter of application.  "I am committed to creating a community of learners who use their minds and hearts well."

"We had a number of strong applicants for this opening," Superintendent Rob Gaskill noted.  "The field included both seasoned site principals and up and coming co-administrators.  So many good things are happening at El Granada and under former Principal Melinda Fore’s direction, El Granada teachers have assumed some exciting new leadership roles.  I believe Carrie has the potential to take that work to a new level."

Betti’s contract takes effect August 1.  She will be following in the footsteps of Melinda Fore who resigned her post as El Granada Principal last month to accept the position of Director of Categorical Programs for the San Mateo County Office of Education.