Superintendent's Message:

January 5, 2023

Dear GUSD Families, 

Happy New Year!  The start of a new year compels us to reflect on our current state and look beyond to a future filled with hope and opportunity. We renew our belief that what we can dream, we can achieve if we are committed to taking the steps necessary to bring about the results we seek. Perhaps you are grateful for where you are, but you realize that with more effort and determination, you can make changes that will improve your situation. That hope drives you to plan and pursue your dream.  

These are the thoughts that I ponder as I reflect on my role as the Superintendent of the Goleta Union School District (GUSD). I am grateful to serve in this role, knowing that the people who work in this District are committed to being the best they can be. I dream of what our schools will look like once all the Measure M Bond projects are complete. Our schools will have new safe, inviting playground structures for children of all ages. New HVAC systems and roofing structures will provide many decades of structurally sound buildings. Classroom modernization projects will provide some much-needed improvements to the aesthetics and facilitate innovation and collaborative learning spaces for our students. These projects are a massive undertaking and will take some time to complete; nevertheless, the community will see the improvements that will come to their neighborhood school-And that will be a reason to celebrate!

Beyond the improvements to our school buildings, I dream of a time when all our students are confident learners who leap through milestones and model kindness and empathy toward all. One of those critical milestones is becoming a proficient reader by the end of third grade. Many research articles show how crucial it is for children to meet this milestone. All staff, teachers, and parents must partner to support all of Goleta’s children in this endeavor. Students who do not meet this milestone are less likely to graduate from high school, more likely to live in poverty, and more likely to be incarcerated. Literacy is a key to freedom, opportunity, and a good life. Every child deserves a bright future, and GUSD can nurture that dream by ensuring all students can read by the end of third grade. We are not there yet. Many GUSD students are not reading on grade level, and it is up to all of us to change that fact. 

GUSD’s Vision is to provide powerful instruction, purposeful individualization, and productive partnerships leading to positive evidence of student growth. Public education is free and accessible to all. It is the greatest hope for our future. No matter where a child is on their continuum of learning, they deserve to receive instruction that meets their needs and produces positive evidence of their individual growth. Meeting reading proficiency is an entry point - the first step. After reaching the reading milestone, many more opportunities should nurture your child’s unique strengths and interests. Will you share in this dream? Will you believe in the possibilities? Working together, we can envision a future where GUSD is the best example of the Hope we have for all our children.

Respectfully, 

Diana Galindo-Roybal

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Department Staff and Contact Information:

Dr. Diana Roybal
Superintendent

Christy Rockwood
Executive Assistant
(805) 681-1200 x2201

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