Fifty-two people applied, eight were interviewed and Socorro
Shiels emerged as the new assistant superintendent of educational
services for the Morgan Hill Unified School District. Shiels, 38,
is making a return to Morgan Hill after serving as principal at El
Toro Elementary in 1999.
Fifty-two people applied, eight were interviewed and Socorro Shiels emerged as the new assistant superintendent of educational services for the Morgan Hill Unified School District. Shiels, 38, is making a return to Morgan Hill after serving as principal at El Toro Elementary in 1999.
Shiels will work closely with Superintendent Dr. Wes Smith, including looking at how to possibly restructure positions within the school district.
“She brings with her a wealth of experience,” Dr. Smith said after introducing Shiels to the school board at Tuesday’s meeting. “She genuinely cares about the achievement of all kids and will do whatever it takes to help them. We’re very, very happy to have her.”
Shiels most recently was program director for district and school support services at the Santa Clara County Office of Education. She is currently completing a doctorate in educational psychology at the University of California, at Davis.
“I’m very excited to rejoin MHUSD,” Shiels said. “I look forward to working with the community and the parents and utilizing all of the wonderful resources here in Morgan Hill.”
Much of Shiels professional experience has been working with bilingual education – from teaching English language strategies as an adjunct lecturer at Cal State Sacramento to overseeing bilingual programs and budgets. Shiels has an administrative credential and multiple subject credential. She received her B.A. in Spanish from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine and her master’s degree in educational leadership from Cal State East Bay. Shiels has also taught first grade in East Palo Alto and was a teacher in Oakland at the Juvenile Court School.
