KELSEYVILLE
Kelseyville Unified names Superintendent for 2023-24 School Year
The Kelseyville Unified School District (KVUSD) Board of Trustees unanimously voted to appoint Dr. Nicki Thomas to be the next district superintendent, filling the void that will be left by Dr. David S. McQueen’s retirement at the end of the school year. Dr. Thomas was born and raised in Lake County and has held several administrative positions with KVUSD since joining the district in 2013. She is currently the assistant superintendent.
Board President Rick Winer said, “We are lucky to have such a strong leader ready to step in as Dr. McQueen retires. Dr. Thomas’s experience and talents are perfectly aligned with what the district needs next. Her appointment will allow the district to maintain excellent continuity while helping us focus on the emerging academic needs of our students.”
During Dr. McQueen’s tenure, the district put enormous emphasis on creating school environments where students feel valued and safe, allowing them to focus on their personal and academic growth. Dr. Thomas plans to build on that foundation.
By way of background, Dr. Thomas began her career in 2003 as a school counselor and reading specialist in Oregon. In 2010, she moved into administration as a middle school assistant principal and then an elementary school principal, while earning her Doctorate in Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Foundations and Leadership with a specialization in Literacy. In 2013, she returned home to Lake County to become principal of Mountain Vista Middle School (MVMS). In 2016, she spent one year as a principal at a middle school in Wyoming before returning to MVMS–and to KVUSD–for good. In October of 2021, she became the assistant district superintendent.
At MVMS, Dr. Thomas spearheaded programs like Professional Learning Communities, AVID, and Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS). Professional Learning Communities encourage teachers to collaborate to continually improve their skills. AVID stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination; it is a program based on the simple philosophy that raising expectations and giving students the support they need can result in huge improvements–which is borne out by the statistics locally and nationwide. Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is an approach that fosters positive student-teacher relationships and uses clear expectations and incentives tailored to individual students to encourage behaviors that help everyone learn.
With her team-based leadership style and a commitment to data-driven decision-making, Dr. Thomas was able to make big gains at MVMS, which she continued as the assistant superintendent. Now, she plans to work closely with “the awesome leadership team at KVUSD” to continue to support Kelseyville students.
Dr. Thomas and fellow district leaders are currently implementing programs such as Guided Language Aquisition Design (GLAD) and SONDAY (a phonics-based curriculum) to help students, especially English learners, be more successful. The District is also in the middle of a pilot program to improve students’ basic math skills at the elementary and middle school level. Dr. Thomas, a self-described “data nerd,” looks forward to working with KVUSD staff, families and the community to provide the best possible education for Kelseyville kids.
Outgoing Superintendent Dr. McQueen said, “It’s been a joy building relationships with everyone in the Kelseyville community. After 14 years in this position, it feels good to know I’m leaving the district in such good hands. Between Dr. Thomas’s experience, her educational background, and her love of Kelseyville students, she is the perfect person to lead our district into the future.”
Dr. Thomas will begin her duties as superintendent on July 1, 2023.
—Submitted
