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Christian Rubalcaba doesn’t officially assume the role as Redwood City School District’s next superintendent until July 1. But he’s already busy making rounds across the district.
One morning, he dropped by Roy Cloud School. He checked into a class that crafted papier-mâché sculptures and bantered with young children out at recess. He also held lighthearted court with teachers passing through a courtyard.
He plans to visit all 12 schools in the district before summer break and has engaged with parent leaders and other stakeholders.
“I’ve been meeting a lot of different folks,” Rubalcaba told the Pulse during the Roy Cloud tour. “The kids are incredible. There’s so much engagement in the classrooms. The teachers and staff are welcoming.”
Earlier this year, the district board tapped Rubalcaba, 41, to take the reins for the retiring schools Superintendent John Baker.
Rubalcaba, who lives in Menlo Park, stood out most among high-caliber applicants and candidates in a nationwide superintendent search. He showed impressive credentials, has years of experience already working in the Bay Area as a teacher and top administrator, and is a product of public education himself.
“Dr. Rubalcaba brings a remarkable breadth of experience,” Board President David Weekly said in a statement. “He has served as a bilingual classroom teacher, instructional coach, elementary and middle school principal, and district administrator across multiple Bay Area school systems.”
Weekly added: “Equally important, Dr. Rubalcaba understands our region and the diverse community we serve. He shares our belief in strengthening what is already working in RCSD while continuing to raise expectations and outcomes for all students. His enthusiasm, energy, openness and genuine interest in listening to others make him a strong leader for our district.”
Right now, Rubalcaba is doing plenty of listening to help him really get to know the district, its people, its needs and what specific strategies might be helpful to pursue.
“Entering Redwood City School District, I’m listening and learning,” Rubalcaba said. “I’m assessing and collecting information.”
But his overall vision for the district revolves around supporting and improving student achievement and well-being, he said. “I have a huge appetite to continue top-quality instruction, student wellness and staff support.”
Rubalcaba described himself as someone who seeks to unify and collaborate with others and said he looks forward to “rolling up our sleeves together” to work toward district goals.
By the time he takes office, though, Rubalcaba will know whether a parcel-tax ballot initiative will help achieve those goals.
On June 2, district voters will decide on Measure C, which would generate $12.2 million annually over eight years to fund teaching positions and bolster educational programs.
The district contends that it needs the measure because funds are not being generated fast enough to keep pace with increased operational costs, while one-time state and federal pandemic-related financial relief has expired.
The funding challenges, along with declining enrollment, have prompted the district over the past two academic years to approve approximately $13 million in ongoing budget cuts and savings.
But no matter the ballot outcome, Rubalcaba said, “I’ll be listening intently and collaborating with our stakeholders .. to ensure we have the least amount of (adverse) impact on student wellness and achievement.”
Parent leader Jessica Shade met Rubalcaba at one of the Measure C planning meetings and came away encouraged.
“What stood out to me was his willingness to show up and listen,” Shade said in an email to the Pulse. “He was already engaging directly with families and community members before officially stepping into the role – which speaks to a collaborative, community-centered approach.”
Rubalcaba appears to understand how urgent stabilizing district funding is and “how closely it’s tied to student outcomes,” she also said. “Beyond funding, equity across schools is a major issue for RCSD. Some school communities are able to supplement programs through fundraising while others cannot, and that creates real disparities for students. Ensuring that every child regardless of their school has access to strong academic programs and support services will be critical.”
Indeed, the matter of equity has been of paramount importance and a strong driving force for Rubalcaba.
“It wasn’t until later in high school I had a Latino teacher,” he said. “It presented an equity issue.”
Not having a teacher of his own background until late in his schooling made Rubalcaba realize that education faces steep challenges to equal opportunity.
That awareness – and that 12th-grade teacher, Mr. Jose Sanchez, at Kennedy High in Chicago – inspired Rubalcaba to pursue a career in education, striving to ensure every student, regardless of background or circumstance, has the necessary resources and opportunities to succeed in academics and other areas.
Part of the equity effort is Rubalcaba realizing that “parents always want the best for their kids, but factors such as food insecurity or lack of housing could be hurting a student’s attendance or family participation in a child’s education, he said.
“It’s breaking down barriers so families feel welcomed,” he said. “It’s figuring out what they need. The intent is getting healthy children to a class seat.”
Currently, Rubalcaba is assistant superintendent of student services for the San Mateo-Foster City School District. He previously took on other roles at San Mateo-Foster City, including district director of school leadership.
In the South Bay, he was an assistant principal with the Franklin-McKinley district and a bilingual teacher for San Jose Unified. He started teaching at San Jose Unified in 2010.
Rubalcaba earned a doctorate in educational leadership from San Francisco State University, a master’s in history from Harvard, and a bachelor’s in English literature and psychology from Purdue.
Now heading to RCSD as its top educator, he said, “It brings me a lot of joy knowing I have the opportunity to inspire and increase my impact on kids. My mantra is all in for kids.”
