Merced City School Board appoints new superintendent. Here’s what we know so far

The Merced City School Board appointed a new superintendent Tuesday night after a months-long search.

The board chose former superintendent of the Winters Joint Unified School District, Diana Jimenez, to replace outgoing interim superintendent Doug Collins, who is leaving at the end of the school year for a new position as the superintendent of the Chowchilla Elementary School District.

All but one board member, Jessica Kazakos, voted to approve Jimenez’s employment contract. Kazakos was the sole ‘no’ vote during the Tuesday board meeting.

“I am honored and thrilled to have the opportunity to serve the scholars and the community of Merced,” Jimenez said via Zoom during the meeting. “I have lived in the Central Valley about 20 minutes from Merced most of my life, and it feels like I’m coming home.”

Jimenez, who said Tuesday night she is the daughter of immigrants in the Central Valley, studied English at Stanislaus State before getting a Masters degree in Educational Leadership and Administration from Brandman University, according to her LinkedIn profile. She is also pursuing a Doctorate in Education and Organizational Leadership at the University of Massachusetts Global, according to her profile and a press release from the Merced City School District. She plans to complete her doctorate in September.

The new superintendent will be paid $260,000 a year and have a 2% annual raise, according to her employment agreement the board approved Tuesday night. She is expected to start July 1.

“She has the experience for which we’re looking,” said Birdi Olivarez-Kidwell, the Merced City School Board president. “It’s all-encompassing. She’s worked with diverse groups of people and has held distinguishing titles throughout her career.”

As superintendent of the Winters Joint Unified School District, located west of Sacramento, she led the effort to secure a $600,000 grant from the James B. McClatchy Foundation in 2021 and helped ensure the passage of a $19 million school bond, Measure W, in 2020.

The bond is meant to pay for the construction of a new physical education and music building at Winters High School, and a new transitional kindergarten building at Waggoner Elementary School, among other construction and modernization projects at the two schools, according to the Winters Joint Unified School Board website.

Jimenez is the latest in a quick succession of superintendents. Former deputy superintendent Collins has held the position of interim superintendent for several months since the last superintendent, Al Rogers, was accused by a district employee of sexual harassment and was placed on leave by the school board last year. Despite his denial of the allegations, he later resigned amid a district investigation.

The board agreed to pay him $15,000 as part of his resignation agreement, removing any potential litigation between Rogers and the school district. Rogers held the superintendent position for less than a year before the accusations surfaced. He replaced longtime Merced City School District Superintendent RoseMary Parga Duran.

“I’m excited. It’s been a long journey,” said board member Allen Brooks. “I’m excited about the future and what we can do.”