Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Dr. Cynthia Ranii

School board names new superintendent

Former principal takes reins July 1

By Carolyn Leal

Dr. Cynthia Ranii, 50, principal of Fullerton Union High School in Fullerton, has been hired as the new superintendent of the Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District.

"She is a consummate communicator," said school board president Ron Adolphson, adding that of the 21 applicants interviewed, Ranii was clearly the winner.

She will be paid $100,000 a year, plus $7,500 for initial relocation costs, Adolphson said.

Ranii has been principal of Fullerton High School since 1995. She was principal at Sonora High School, in the same high school district, from 1992 to 1995. She has nine years' experience in the district office as administrator of instructional services.

She holds a doctorate from the University of Southern California in educational leadership, a master's degree in Asian studies from the University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor's degree in Near Eastern languages from UC-Berkeley.

She is fluent in Farsi and served in Iran as an English teacher with the Peace Corps from 1971 to 1974.

"You read the résumés and see all of these marvelous qualifications, but what really rings a bell is the personal response you get," Adolphson said. "One of the things she said that really impressed me, when talking about communicating with parents, was that the parent loves the child, and you start from there."

The local district sent a team to Fullerton, and they met with teachers, union members, students and district office staff, Adolphson said. "Her references were just phenomenal."

Ranii will begin as superintendent July 1. She replaces Dr. Tod Likins, who is retiring.

Although the district is a plum assignment for an administrator, Ranii comes on board at a time of some controversy. The results of a drug survey at LGHS indicate that drug use by students is much higher than at other high schools in the country. And at Saratoga High School, a cheating scandal has erupted even while many parents and students are criticizing the administration for punishment handed down to students for a streaking incident.

Ranii spoke briefly when she was introduced at last week's board meeting. "I think that I have significant experience in dealing with some of the issues tonight, including substance-abuse prevention, ensuring campus orderliness, ensuring that there is mutual trust among all parties in the district and refining the communication process among all constituencies," she said.

Ranii, a single parent, has two children, a son, Anthony, 20, a junior at a college in Pennsylvania, and Melina, 21, a senior at UCLA.

"I'm very honored to have been chosen," Ranii said in a telephone interview. "Los Gatos-Saratoga is a premier school district. The [selection] process was very inclusive, and that makes me feel particularly good. I feel graciously welcomed. Everyone made me feel at home."

Ranii has visited both Los Gatos and Saratoga high schools. "I'm so impressed with the quality of instruction and the academic excellence," she said.

Born and raised in Fullerton, she goes by the nickname Cindy. Her last name is not Iranian, as people assume, but "misspelled Italian," she said.

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