John Sugiyama
EUSD Superintendent
BY AMANDA MARTINEZ // Retired for almost two years, former superintendent of Dublin John Sugiyama received an unexpected phone call from the Alameda County Office of Education, asking him if he would come back. “They informed me that Emery may be in need of an interim superintendent and asked if I would be interested in being considered for the position,” he said.
In early September, the Emeryville school district found itself suddenly without a superintendent following the abrupt departure of Stephen Wesley, who stepped down after it was discovered his resume was filled with phony credentials.
By October 1, the school board had come to a unanimous decision to hire John Sugiyama during a closed session.
Sugiyama is new to the Emery school district but he is no stranger to the Bay Area. After attending schools in San Francisco and Berkeley, Sugiyama made Northern California his home base, working in Alameda, Pleasanton and Dublin school districts throughout his 35 years in education.
With a wide range of experience on his side Sugiyama says he has “hit the ground running.” Now, one month into the job InEmeryville staff talks to John Sugiyama about coming out of retirement, what he will do for the school community, and how joining the Emery School district is like coming home.
