Gilroy
– Darrel Taylor has been the interim superintendent of six
school districts and, with the Gilroy Unified School District Board
of Director’s decision Monday night, Gilroy will be his seventh –
since he retired in 1998.
Gilroy – Darrel Taylor has been the interim superintendent of six school districts and, with the Gilroy Unified School District Board of Director’s decision Monday night, Gilroy will be his seventh – since he retired in 1998.
“My wife has a famous saying: ‘You failed retirement.’ And she’s right,” Taylor said.
Taylor, who is currently serving as the interim superintendent for the Pasadena Unified School District, was approved by a unanimous vote of the GUSD board to become the temporary replacement for current Superintendent Edwin Diaz, who will be leaving Gilroy March 9 to start in Pasadena March 12. Taylor’s first day is scheduled for March 7.
“He has a great depth of experience,” Board President Tom Bundros said of Taylor. “We’ve noted that in his engagements he’s managed to keep the district on track. At the same time, he’s been visible to the district and the community.”
Taylor said that his job as interim superintendent would be to further the district’s successes and start the process of solving any problems encountered in the course of administrative officials leaving, the building of Christopher High School, and any other issues that might arise.
“My goal as an interim is to set the table for the new superintendent,” Taylor said. “My major task is to get acquainted. I want to address the district’s problems as if I was the permanent superintendent.”
In addition to serving as interim superintendent at school districts such as Oxnard and Vacaville Unified, Taylor also served as superintendent for Fairfield-Suisun Unified, Davis Joint Unified and Perris Union High school districts from 1977 to 1998.
Taylor has spent his life in education, working as a teacher for 10 years and as a high school administrator for an additional 13 years prior to becoming a superintendent.
His love for school started in his hometown in Kansas. As one of six boys in a town of 600, the school was the center of life in the small community and he has since associated it with positive experiences.
After sixth grade, Taylor moved with his family to the southern California town of Redlands, where he met his wife in high school. They dated off and on for a few years, but eventually went steady without turning back. They recently celebrated their 53-year anniversary with their two children and six grandchildren, all of whom live in California.
While the Taylors have a permanent house in Davis, both of them are looking forward to finding a temporary one in Gilroy and learning about the community.
Even nine years and seven relocations after retirement, Taylor says he is not tired.
“As long as I can be effective in doing this work and as long as I feel like I’m doing the right thing, I don’t think there’s any end in sight. It’s a matter of what your love is.”
The GUSD board will approve the final contract to offer Taylor at its board meeting Thursday.
