Culver City Observer -

The Culver City Unified School District CCUSD announced the hiring of Dr. Angela Elizondo Baxter as the District's new director of teaching and learning, effective immediately.

Baxter has spent the past six years as principal at Willard IB Magnet Elementary School in the Pasadena Unified School District, where she increased African-American students reading at grade level by 21% in 2021 and was honored with the California Civic Learning Award of Distinction in 2019.

Under her leadership, the school was recognized as a California Honor School in 2018 as the result of narrowing the achievement gap by 8% in English Language Arts through implementation of balanced literacy and integration of IB (inquiry-based) instruction.

In addition, Baxter developed in-school tutoring partnerships with neighboring high schools and

community volunteers to support reading growth in third grade and, as a result, 75% of

students were reading on grade level – a 30% increase in lexile levels.

Prior to her time in Pasadena Unified School District, she served as principal of Santa Susana Elementary School in the Simi Valley Unified School District and an ELA/ELD content specialist in the Ventura County Office of Education.

She was recognized with the Association of Pasadena School Administrators (APSA) Charter Leadership Award in 2019, the APSA Elementary Principal of the Year in 2018 and the 2000 Elementary Teacher of the Year in Alief Independent School District in Texas.

"Dr. Baxter is an educational leader who has served as a teacher, instructional coach, district office coordinator, county office county specialist, principal, and university literacy instructor," said Assistant Superintendent Tracy Pumilia. "We are pleased to welcome her to the CCUSD family and know her contributions to the Ed Services team will benefit students throughout the District."