GTUSD Board Appoints Keri Phillips as New Superintendent/Principal

00:00 AM - January 15, 2021

The Gold Trail Union School District (GTUSD) is pleased to announce that Keri Phillips has been appointed the District Superintendent and Sutter’s Mill School Principal, effective January 25, 2021. Keri’s personal and professional background validate the decision of the Board. Keri was raised in a family that values education, as both of her parents were teachers. Following in their footsteps, she began her career in education, teaching for almost a decade, before transitioning into administrative roles. She served as Assistant Principal at Folsom High School for three years, and as Principal at Sutter Middle School in Folsom for 15 years.

Keri is a longtime resident of Lotus, where she lives with her husband and son. She enjoys the outdoors and living in the country. She noted, “Leading those I serve in the community where I live is a dream. What this community has given me, I want to give back. I look forward to the future at GTUSD. Being an educational leader in a challenging time is not my fear; missing the opportunity to serve my community is.”

The GTUSD superintendent role became vacant in the fall of 2020. Since that time, Carey Buchanan, from the El Dorado County Office of Education (EDCOE), has been serving as Interim Superintendent. GTUSD also partnered with EDCOE in their search for a new superintendent. Julie Bauer, GTUSD Board President, explained, “With EDCOE’s guidance, we created an inclusive process and tight timeline. We then set off to do the impossible – find a superintendent mid-year in the middle of a pandemic crisis. We were not sure if anyone would want to assume the role. We began by interviewing district staff and surveying the community to determine their priorities. The list of interview questions was crafted based on those results.”

She continued, “GTUSD received numerous strong candidates to screen and ultimately interview. Although challenged by the virtual nature of the process, our board enthusiastically offered the position to Keri. We're excited to welcome Keri to our Gold Trail Family and guide us through these unprecedented times ahead. We have every confidence that she is the perfect choice to lead our district for years to come.”

President Bauer added, “We would like to give heartfelt gratitude to our Interim Superintendent, Carey Buchanan. Her passion and unwavering commitment over these past few months seamlessly guided our district during this challenging time. We would also like to thank EDCOE for supporting GTUSD during this entire process.”

Dr. Ed Manansala, El Dorado County Superintendent of Schools, expressed, “Our County is very fortunate to have a strong team of district superintendents that is steadfastly committed to the well-being and quality learning of all students in El Dorado County. Mrs. Phillips will be a welcome addition and an effective leader for the Gold Trail community.”

For more information regarding GTUSD, visit gtusd.org

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