Weis Named Superintendent of Santa Clara County

SAN JOSE, CA – Dr. Charles Weis was named Santa Clara County superintendent of schools on Wednesday on a 7-0 vote by the county Board of Education.

Weis, 57, the current Ventura County superintendent of schools, is scheduled to assume the position on July 1.

He was named the top finalist for the position on March 28, after a months-long search process. The board finalized the decision and approved Weis’ contract at its Wednesday meeting. A copy of the contract can be viewed on-line, at www.sccoe.org.

“We are all eager to see the COE move forward under Dr. Weis’ leadership,” said Jane Howard, president of the board. “He is known throughout the state as an excellent administrator and leader, and we feel he and the county office are an excellent match.”

The Santa Clara County superintendent is the chief administrative officer of an office that serves 32 school districts, and manages a staff of about 1,900 and a budget of about $280 million. The position reports to the seven-member board.

Weis was born in Santa Monica and raised in Granada Hills in the city of Los Angeles. He earned a bachelor’s degree at UCLA, master’s degree at California State University, Northridge, and his doctorate at University of California at Santa Barbara.

He owned and operated a consulting firm from 1974 to 1980, serving school districts and businesses throughout California. In 1980, he became a director of Special Services for the Fillmore Unified School District. While at Fillmore, he served as a high school and an elementary school principal, and assistant superintendent of Educational Services.

He went to the Ventura COE in 1990, and was appointed Ventura County superintendent in 1993. He was elected to his first term the following year. In 2006 he was re-elected to his fourth four-year term.

In Santa Clara County, Weis will take over from Joe Fimiani. Fimiani, assistant superintendent of the COE's Student Services branch, has been the COE's interim superintendent since November 2007.

View Contract

Date last updated: July 1, 2008