Downey's Dr. John Garcia named regional Superintendent of the Year

Downey Unified School District Superintendent Dr. John Garcia. (Photo courtesy Downey Unified)

DOWNEY — Dr. John Garcia, Downey Unified’s superintendent, was selected as the Superintendent of the Year for Region 14 of the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA). 

This is a distinguished honor as Region 14 consists of 24 school districts covering an area from Beverly Hills to Long Beach. Each year ACSA acknowledges outstanding performance and achievement by individual administrators in various regions throughout California.

Garcia, Downey Unified’s superintendent for the last seven years, was selected for this award for his exceptional leadership in managing school programs, commitment to educational quality and student achievement, commitment to professional growth, and creativity and innovation in dealing with issues and problems facing public education.

“Dr. Garcia is extremely adept at creating a positive, dedicated, educational environment that includes and represents all members of the Downey Unified family,” expressed Donald LaPlante, Downey Unified’s Board of Education president.  “His work ethic is unparalleled and he is guided by a strong moral compass, which sets a high standard for staff and students alike. His judgments and decisions are guided by what is best for our students and we are proud to have him as our superintendent.”

Downey Adult School Principal Blanca Rochin. (Photo courtesy Downey Unified)

Also set to be recognized was Downey Adult School Principal, Blanca Rochin, who was selected as the ACSA Region 14 Adult Education Administrator of the Year and later was named the 2020 Adult Education Administrator of the Year Award for the State of California.

With a total of 19 regions in the state of California, ACSA Region 14 serves the following school districts in Los Angeles County: ABC Unified, Bellflower Unified, Beverly Hills Unified, Centinela Valley Union High, Compton Unified, Culver City Unified, Downey Unified, El Segundo Unified, Hawthorne, Hermosa Beach City, Inglewood Unified, Lawndale, Lennox, Long Beach Unified, Los Angeles County Office of Education, Lynwood Unified, Manhattan Beach Unified, Norwalk-La Mirada Unified, Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified, Paramount Unified, Redondo Beach Unified, Santa Monica-Malibu Unified, Torrance Unified, Wiseburn, and community college districts and universities servicing these areas.

The Association of California School Administrators was established in 1971 and is the umbrella organization for school leaders in the state, serving more than 16,000 school leaders throughout California.  ACSA's 19 regions divide the state geographically, allowing the voices of members to be heard at the local level.