Dublin Taps New Schools Chief From South Bay

DUBLIN, CA — The next Dublin Unified School District superintendent has been selected two years after the district first began its search.

Chris Funk built a 30-year career in public education and currently serves as the East Side Union High School District superintendent, overseeing 16 San Jose area high schools with a combined enrollment of 26,500 students, according to a statement from DUSD.

Funk is expected to start his job July 1 and be confirmed at the May 11 school board meeting, pending a background check and contract negotiations.

As Dublin's schools chief, Funk will serve at the helm of the 12-school, 13,000-student school district.

Funk, a San Jose native and resident, said in the statement that he has "focused on building equitable learning environments for all" during his career.

"While already a high-performing district, one that the students, staff, board, and the community should be very proud of, I’m eager to see what new heights we can achieve together and how we can provide every student a world-class education regardless of their economic, gender or cultural background," he said.

Funk has also held leadership roles in the San Jose Unified School District, according to DUSD. He started his career as a high school teacher in San Jose after graduating from San Jose State University in 1991.

During Funk's time at Lincoln High School, the campus earned a 21st Century School of Distinction, Lighthouse Award, California Distinguished School award and a six-year Western Association of Schools and Colleges accreditation, according to DUSD. The school's achievement gap between Latino and white students was narrowed by 40 percent during his tenure.

DUSD board President Dan Cherrier said Funk was exceptionally qualified and was chosen for his experience.

“The process of selecting a superintendent for a school district with all the complexities found in Dublin is not easy,” Cherrier said in the statement. “Dublin is a unique environment and the Board needed to be confident that the selected candidate has the skills needed to address our current growth challenges while maintaining academic excellence, being vigilant regarding issues of equity, and positioning the district for future success."

Funk's selection comes on the heels of a tumultuous period at DUSD. If confirmed, Funk will be the fifth person to serve as a DUSD superintendent since 2019.

The saga began with the resignation of former Superintendent Leslie Boozer, who abruptly stepped down in March 2019 amid stalled contract negotiations with the teachers union. Her departure was by mutual agreement, the school board said.

The district briefly appointed Matt Campbell, then-assistant superintendent of educational services, to serve as interim superintendent as the board began a nationwide search for the next superintendent.

Dave Marken in April 2019 came out of retirement to serve in an interim capacity as the board conducted its search. The decision to step up came at great personal and financial cost to Marken, but he told Patch last year that he was hopeful that he would do good.

The board formally began its search a month later. The process included input from numerous local education groups and a 15-person Community Interview Committee, the district said.

Marken's term was slated to end in 2021, but he resigned abruptly after 14 months during a school board meeting. His announcement followed a closed session performance evaluation, which both parties declined to discuss in detail. The board said it was shocked and saddened by his decision.

"If you find yourself in a situation where your bosses don't trust you, and you don't trust your boss, you should no longer work for your boss anymore," Marken said during the meeting.

He subsequently told Patch that his tenure at the school district was an arduous one.

"I am sorry that I wasn't able to finish everything I believed needed to be done. I want to apologize to our dedicated teachers, staff and administration. Most of all I want to apologize to the students and families in Dublin," he wrote in his resignation letter. "I truly hope someone else can somehow, some way, get it done. But that person will not be me."

The district bemoaned his resignation in a statement. The news was devastating, said spokesperson Sarah Lopez. "Our ship is again adrift," DUSD said in a statement.

Read more: Dublin Schools Chief Resignation Spurs Community Outcry

DUSD then tapped Daniel Moirao, who is currently serving as interim superintendent. Moirao came on board in July 2020, months after teachers were forced to scramble to adapt to a new normal of remote learning amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Funk's selection comes as DUSD looks to transition students back to the classroom full time in the fall.

The announcement also comes as the district and school board continue to grapple with an explosion in student enrollment and shortfall of at least $184 million on high-priority school facilities projects, including the construction of the new Emerald High School.

Read more: Why DUSD Is Struggling To Pay For School Projects