Written by: Peyton De Winter and Ruhi Mudoi
Randall Booker took over for Dr. Kevin Skelly as the new superintendent of the San Mateo Union High School District on July 1. Booker has over 25 years of experience in education, including teaching at Albany and Cardinal Newman High Schools, serving as an assistant principal at Albany and Piedmont High Schools, principal at Piedmont, assistant superintendent of Piedmont Unified School District and superintendent of Piedmont Unified.
Booker grew up in San Mateo County and attended Burlingame High School for ninth grade, citing the nostalgia for his hometown as one motivation to return.
“Coming back into town and driving on El Camino Real brings back a lot of memories,” Booker said. “I went to Royal Donuts the other day because after [high school] dances [my friends and I would] all pour into Royal Donuts. So I got a donut and I sat at one of the benches and memories just flooded back.”
Booker talked about the importance of the district faculty reflecting on their “why” for working in education during his speech to staff on Aug. 8. He also emphasized what sparked his passion for teaching and working in schools.
“I talked a lot about my experiences [as a teacher] at … Cardinal Newman High School [during the speech],” Booker said. “That high school experience [is] what I want other kids to have.”
Booker shared how his personal life has broadened his perspective on education and influenced his outlook on learning.
“When I had my two boys, that shifted my ‘why’ around inclusiveness, working with kids with special needs [as well as] neurotypical kids [and] what it means to be a student in a high school setting,” Booker said. “It’s fun to work with kids and I want to have fun at my job.”
“It’s fun to work with kids and I want to have fun at my job”
While working at Piedmont Unified, Booker took pride in several major accomplishments, including developing the Wellness Center at Piedmont High.
“We focused primarily on social emotional health, but in two ways,” Booker said. “[One], a reactive way, [in which] students could walk in [the Wellness Center and] have therapy appointments.”
One of Booker’s major goals for the district was to further support and grow the adult education programs in the district.
“If we’re going to say that we’re striving toward a 100% graduation rate, then we better make sure that those alternative options are strong,” Booker said. “Not everyone is going to graduate from comprehensive high school … so let’s expand our thinking about what it takes and how long it takes to earn your high school diploma.”
Moving forward, Booker hopes to continue reconnecting with the SMUHSD community and learn more about its culture.
“Not everyone is going to graduate from comprehensive high school … so let’s expand our thinking about what it takes and how long it takes to earn your high school diploma”
“I have dropped so much baggage at the door,” Booker said. “You [get] a lot of baggage in a leadership role because any time you make decisions, someone’s going to be unhappy. Steve Jobs said this: ‘If you want to make everyone happy, [don’t be a leader], sell ice cream.’ I love ice cream, but I don’t sell ice cream. I want to come to this district as a fresh slate [and learn] what this district is [like]. I [want] to come in as a big time learner.”
