Anaheim Elementary School District has selected Jesus “Jesse” Chavarria as its new superintendent.
Chavarria, who has been serving as an assistant superintendent in the district for the past four years, will take on the new role on July 1.
Chavarria has been a part of the AESD community for over 25 years in various roles, including as a teacher, vice principal, principal and transportation director. Before his time with AESD, he worked for the South Whittier School District for five years.
During his time at AESD, Chavarria oversaw the creation of many school initiatives, including AESD’s first dual language immersion program in 2006. Then, Spanish was the only language offered, but the program expanded in 2019 to include Korean and again in 2023 to include Mandarin Chinese. In the program’s first year, 26 students participated, but according to AESD’s website, that has grown to over 3,600 students.
As an assistant superintendent, Chavarria said his work revolved around the “business side” of AESD. According to the district, he “played a pivotal role in guiding the district through the challenges posed by the pandemic” and oversaw “numerous construction projects.”
“I have had the privilege of working directly with students and witnessing firsthand the transformative power of education,” Chavarria said. “This experience shaped my educational philosophy and commitment to fostering an environment, where every student can thrive.”
In this new role, Chavarria said that he is most looking forward to “the opportunity to work alongside the board of trustees to fulfill our district’s mission.”
“This will be accomplished by focusing on the personal growth of each student and by helping them develop responsibility, confidence and enthusiasm for learning,” Chavarria said. “Anaheim Elementary School District has outstanding programs, and I look forward to continuing the success of these programs while looking for opportunities and new educational experiences for our students and families.”
The search for a new superintendent has been in the works since January after Christopher Downing announced his retirement. Downing served as the district’s superintendent for six years, district spokesperson Tatum Wan said. His last day with the district will be June 30.
The district worked with an outside firm to find a replacement, Wan said. Members of the AESD community were also asked to participate in various surveys to narrow down candidates.
Chavarria’s “deep-rooted experience within AESD and his commitment to our district positioned him as the ideal choice for our next superintendent,” said AESD Board President Ryan Ruelas.
“Mr. Chavarria brings a wealth of expertise to his new role, having demonstrated exceptional leadership across diverse capacities throughout his career with AESD,” Ruelas said.
AESD, previously called the Anaheim City School District, serves kindergarten through sixth-grade students. It has 24 campuses across Anaheim with a total enrollment of 14,775 during the 2023-24 school year, according to the California Department of Education.
