Message from the Superintendent
Welcome from the Superintendent to the 2024-2025 School Year
Dear SMUHSD Students, Families, Educators and Community Members:
The San Mateo Union High School District team can’t wait to welcome our students back to school! The first day for students is tomorrow - Wednesday, August 14.
Our District is here to help our students and their families make the most of the four short years we have together. In our District we have two very specific goals: every student graduates; every student thrives. Each student will navigate this journey differently, and we are here to help each one of them chart the course.
I was fortunate to have the opportunity to write a guest perspective for the San Mateo Daily Journal last week. I approached writing this piece as if I were writing an open letter to YOU, the diverse members of our community. Writing this piece gave me the opportunity to reflect on our District’s Mission, Vision and Beliefs and our work this year growing from either/or to both/and thinking. Both/and thinking allows us to acknowledge our shared values, listen with empathy and commit to learning from one another. It opens us up to the opportunity for compromise, growth and learning. Both/and thinking allows us the space to ask: What common values do we have, and what can we learn from one another?
The San Mateo Union High School District is made up of 10 schools supported by six cities united in our mission, vision and beliefs as ONE District. We call this our 10-6-1. In our 10-6-1 we share an interest in positive outcomes for all of our students. You can learn more by watching our 10-6-1 video.
Finally, I want to share my gratitude to our entire District community. Your support and collaboration has led to some amazing achievements. You can learn more by reading our annual report - The Spotlight 2023-24: a Year of Student Learning and Success.
Thank you for all you do for our schools, communities and our District as part of our 10-6-1! I can’t wait to see our students thrive!
Sincerely,
Randall Booker
Superintendent
About Superintendent Booker
On May 19, 2022, the SMUHSD Board appointed Randall Booker to be its next superintendent beginning with the 2022-23 school year, replacing retiring Superintendent Kevin Skelly. Prior to joining SMUHSD, Mr. Booker served as superintendent in the Piedmont Unified School District in Alameda County for seven years. Overall he has more than 25 years experience in education as a teacher at Albany and Cardinal Newman High Schools; assistant principal at Albany and Piedmont High Schools; principal at Piedmont High; and assistant superintendent at Piedmont Unified. He grew up in Burlingame and attended Lincoln Elementary, Burlingame Intermediate, and Burlingame High School. After completing the 9th grade at Burlingame High, Mr. Booker moved to Santa Rosa with his family where he attended and graduated from Cardinal Newman High School. Superintendent Booker earned a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts from Saint Mary’s College of California.
Mr. Booker has led a district with high academic outcomes and also focused on the social-emotional needs of students. He established the Wellness Center at Piedmont High School and the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council, as well as increased counseling services for all students. Mr. Booker served as president of the North Region Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) from 2019-2022 and president of the Northern Alameda Adult Education Collective (NAAEC) from 2017-2022. During his tenure, Piedmont Unified passed two parcel taxes and facilities modernization bond measures.