After weeks of searching through piles of resumes, town hall meetings, and interviews, the Washoe County School District board of trustees has chosen Pedro Martinez as its next superintendent.
The board voted unanimously for Martinez, saying the decision wasn't an easy one, but that Martinez has the right combination of experience and familiarity with our area.
"What pushed me the most was the fact that he understands our county," Board Trustee Estela Gutierrez said. "He has experience here. He will be able to pick up the ball and run with it."
Gutierrez said when they looked for a superintendent back in 2009, they chose Dr. Heath Morrison because he was a reformer. Now, with the strategic plan in place, the board of trustees wanted a superintendent who could continue the changes that have already been made.
They chose Pedro Martinez out of an original field of nearly 100 candidates. Martinez is currently the deputy superintendent in Clark County School District. Before that, he held the same position in Washoe County, and served as chief financial officer in the Chicago Public School system.
"Pedro is very forward-thinking and very people-oriented," Board of Trustees President Ken Grein said. "He is just a tremendous advocate for children."
Martinez has officially accepted the offer, and Grein said now the board just has to negotiate his contract and decide on his starting date. The plan is to have him start this summer, before the school year begins in the fall.
Written by Arianna Bennett
