Retired Santa Ynez Valley Unified School District superintendent Fred Van Leuven was selected as the new executive director of the Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
Van Leuven will begin his new leadership role on Oct. 1, replacing David Brown, who served in the position since 2002. Before his 11-year run as Santa Ynez Unified superintendent, Van Leuven served in both administrative and faculty roles for multiple school districts in Southern California. He also served as a member of the accrediting commission from 2004 to 2010.
After retiring from his Santa Ynez position in 2008, Van Leuven began working as a consultant, and helps schools design improvement plans for student learning.
“My administrative career has provided me the opportunity to work with and learn from some of the most proactive, creative, and strategic leaders of schools and districts in California,” Van Leuven said in a press release. “I believe the [Western Association of Schools and Colleges] process prevents schools from slipping into mediocrity and provides a guiding light for average, struggling, and underperforming schools.”
The accrediting commission recognizes schools that meet a certain quality and standard of educating students. The commission encourages improvement through continued evaluation meant to identify blockades to student academic and personal progress. To learn more, visit acswasc.org.
This article appears in Aug 8-15, 2013.
