Paramount Unified School District Welcomes New Administrators

For more information contact:
Linsey Gotanda, Ed.D., Asst. Superintendent, Human Resources
Paramount Unified School District
562-602-6006

 

Paramount, Ca., July 25, 2024 -- At the July 24 Board Meeting, the Paramount Unified School District Governing Board unanimously voted in favor of the appointment of three new administrators:  Ms. Rebecca Johns who will serve at the Assistant Principal at Collins Elementary School and Mr. Joseph Garcia and Dr. Courtney Smith, who will be serving in the Special Education Department as Program Administrators. 

Rebecca Johns has served as a Paramount West Campus Pirate for the last 23 years as a school counselor but began her career in Paramount at Collins Elementary as a teacher.  In her role, Rebecca is known for her exceptional ability to inspire, guide, and advocate for both students and colleagues alike.  Throughout the years, she has guided thousands of students through their 9th grade year, and we are confident that she will do the same for the Collins students.

Mr. Joseph Garcia joins PUSD with 21 years of experience as a special education teacher, assistant principal and most recently Special Education Coordinator.  Joseph is known for his positive attitude, supportive and collaborative approach and his ability to make data driven decisions with students at the center.  Paramount USD is privileged to have Joseph Garcia as part of its team, where his dedication, collaborative spirit, and commitment to student success will undoubtedly make a significant impact.

Last, Dr. Courtney Smith is coming to PUSD with eight years of experience as a Speech Language Pathologist and most recently as a District Program Specialist.  Her recent experience as a program specialist has given her experience with special educators in all service areas and she has supported early childhood through high school staff, students and parents.  Dr. Smith is known for her strong interpersonal skills, creative problem solving, and ability to implement systems and processes for improvement. She is an excellent communicator and collaborator and demonstrates the highest level of integrity and responsiveness in her interactions with colleagues, students, and families.

We look forward to having her warm personality, hands-on approach to supporting staff and families and collaborative problem-solving skills in PUSD.  

We are very excited to promote Ms. Johns to her new position.  She has been a dedicated Paramount employee for over two decades and she will be such a strong asset for Collins.” Dr. Joshua Lightle, Superintendent, shared.  He also added, “Mr. Garcia and Dr. Smith bring a wealth of knowledge with their backgrounds, and we are confident in their ability to lead and support our schools’ Special Education Programs.”

Ms. Johns will begin her role on July 25.  Garcia and Smith will join the District on August 1.