FONTANA – Fontana Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Leslie Boozer is resigning from her post for an opportunity to serve as superintendent of the Dublin Unified School District in Northern California.

Recently engaged and poised to begin a new chapter in her life, Dr. Boozer’s last day at Fontana Unified will be determined very soon. She has helmed the 40,000-student school District for the past three years, increasingly improving the educational outcomes for students and significantly increasing college and career opportunities.

“With the changes in my personal life, I am pursuing this new opportunity, but I will forever be grateful for the great work of our Board of Education, teachers, staff and administrators, which has led to more of our students being college- and career-ready,” Dr. Boozer said. “I am honored to have been able to serve as Fontana Unified’s superintendent and I am proud to have built a strong foundation that has contributed to the success of this District, with a staff of leaders that will continue to support and empower our students well beyond my departure and despite any changes or challenges the District may face in the future.”

The Board of Education is expected to interview candidates to serve in the interim on Wednesday, June 29. The Board will interview firms to conduct a search for a permanent replacement on Friday, July 8.

FUSD Board of Education President Lorena Corona lauded Boozer’s exemplary leadership, which has set a strong foundation for Fontana Unified to continue its focus on student achievement and guide teachers, staff and administrators to continue on this path of excellence.

“Our District appreciates Dr. Boozer for her transformational leadership over the past three years, as she worked to strengthen the academic achievements of our students, increase professional development for staff and established partnerships with the community to ensure the continued success of their children,” Corona said.

Dr. Boozer, who has served as superintendent since November 2013, began her career in education as a high school teacher in South Los Angeles. Dr. Boozer was later accepted to the prestigious Urban Superintendents Program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, earning a master’s degree in Education and a Doctorate of Education. During her time at the Ivy League university, Dr. Boozer completed an internship with Long Beach Unified Superintendent Chris Steinhauser, published a book on equity and the superintendency, served for four years as the instructional coordinator for the Harvard Institute for School Leadership, and taught a course at Harvard on leadership for instructional improvement.

In the years she led Fontana Unified – which includes five comprehensive high schools, seven middle schools, 30 elementary schools, two alternative schools and adult school – Dr. Boozer has helped boost graduation rates among its comprehensive high schools to 92.9 percent for the school year 2014/2015, as well as increase A-G rates and overall student achievement. She has overseen the construction and the instructional planning for the Pre-International Baccalaureate/Dual Immersion elementary magnet school, the Dolores Huerta International Academy, which will open this August.

Under her leadership, Jurupa Hills High School, which offers a two-year International Baccalaureate (IB) program, was honored with the California Gold Ribbon School Award and Title I Academic Achievement Award. In 2016, 227 Fontana Unified students earned the Seal of Biliteracy, teachers and intervention programs have been recognized nationally for their impact on student achievement, and students are regularly earning first-place honors in state-wide competitions.

“During this time of transition, the Board and I share the same commitment to continue the great work Dr. Boozer and her team has started, including ensuring academic excellence and providing the support our students need to succeed,” Corona said.