Superintendent Parvin Ahmadi Retiring This Year
After 10 years leading the Castro Valley Unified School District (CVUSD), Superintendent Parvin Ahmadi announced she will retire on July 1, after thirty-six years in public education.
After 10 years leading the Castro Valley Unified School District (CVUSD), Superintendent Parvin Ahmadi announced she will retire on July 1, after thirty-six years in public education.
The announcement came during the Board of Education meeting last Wednesday, followed by praise from the five-member Board, former Board member Jo Loss and Castro Valley Education Foundation president Suresh Bhat. After 36 years in education, Ahmadi said she plans to spend more time with family.
“Having our first grandchild has certainly given me a new perspective on life,” Ahmadi said. “I am proud of everything we have accomplished, but I still have so much to give to children.”
Ahmadi says she will now take on a broader role in education, including teaching at the university, supporting educators, and advocacy for children and public education.
“It is truly a privilege and an honor to serve students, families and colleagues in public education,” Ahmadi said. “The words, ’Nothing you do for children is ever wasted,’ are engraved on a bracelet I wear daily, which a colleague gave me many years ago. That has been my motto, and I will continue to believe it.”
Hired in 2015, Ahmadi and the various CVUSD Boards of Trustees weathered many obstacles along the way, including financial and social changes and the COVID-19 pandemic. She has also overseen physical changes to the schools through grants and bond measures, including Measure G (2016), which asked for $123 million for classroom and facilities upgrades.
Ahmadi started her career in education as a teacher in San Jose, where she taught for ten years before moving to Fremont to teach. She then transitions into administrative roles. Before her tenure in Castro Valley, Ahmadi served five years as superintendent at Pleasanton Unified. She holds a bachelor's degree from San Jose State, a master’s in teaching from National Louis University in Chicago, and a master’s in educational leadership from St. Mary's College in Moraga.
“When my family came to this country, I didn’t speak English,” Ahmadi told the Forum. “My mother and father taught me to serve others and that if a person wanted to change things around them, they must be grounded. Looking back on my experiences. I would tell that little girl to hang in there, keep a sense of wonder, surround yourself with positivity, and always remember that it’s not about you. You are a part of the community.”
CVUSD Board President Dolly Adams said in a statement that the Board of Education has initiated the process of finding Ahmadi’s replacement. The Board has hired a consultant specializing in superintendent searches and promises the process will be transparent.
“We are embarking on a significant personnel action,” Adams said. “This is a significant decision. We will be thoughtful in engaging with our community stakeholders to ensure we find a leader who shares our commitment to academic excellence, equity, as well as student and staff well-being.”