Tonight, at its October 10th meeting, the PUSD Board of Education approved the appointment and Superintendent contract for Dr. Ben Churchill. Dr. Churchill’s first day as Superintendent of the Poway Unified School District will be December 2, 2024.
Dr. Churchill’s appointment comes after a national search conducted by executive search firm McPherson & Jacobson, LLC. The four-month process included input from 1,100 survey respondents as well as meetings with dozens of representative educational partners, including staff, employee groups, parents, students, and administrators. The results of the survey and meetings, which can be found here, informed the desired leadership qualifications and characteristics for the finalists, which included “bridge builder, visible and approachable, high degree of integrity, inspirational and visionary, servant leader (respect for all).”
“In a field of exceptional candidates, Dr. Churchill’s extensive experience, approachable demeanor, and innovative vision for moving PUSD forward stood out. The Board wishes to thank our stakeholders for their valuable input into this process and invite everyone to join us in enthusiastically welcoming Dr. Churchill to Poway Unified,” said Board President Michelle O’Connor-Ratcliff.
Following input from the PUSD community, at its September 9th Special Meeting, the Board received the survey results from the search firm and based on those results, selected finalists from a pool of 46 applicants to interview. Finalists were interviewed at a September 21st Special Meeting, during which Dr. Churchill emerged as the finalist. His appointment and contract were officially approved by a unanimous Board vote at the regular October 10, 2024, meeting.
Dr. Churchill shared, “I am deeply honored to be selected to serve the students, staff, families, and community of PUSD. It is a privilege to be entrusted with leading PUSD forward, building on its tradition of excellence and innovation as one of the top public school districts in San Diego County, our state, and the nation. I do not take this position and its responsibilities lightly; every PUSD student deserves the best educational experience we can provide, and that is not accomplished alone. Among my short-term goals is to listen and learn from all of our educational partners to understand what has been successful in our schools and what challenges we can face and overcome together.”
About Dr. Churchill
Dr. Ben Churchill has served as superintendent of the Carlsbad Unified School District for the past eight years. He previously worked in Illinois, serving as chief academic officer for the sixth-largest school district in the state. He also served as an assistant superintendent, high school principal, and high school teacher. Ben began his 28-year career in education teaching English in China at the elementary, secondary and university levels.
Dr. Churchill is passionate about ensuring that each and every student leaves high school with an achievable plan for success in college or trade school, military service, or direct entry to the world of work. During his tenure in Carlsbad, Dr. Churchill’s team saw a significant increase in the number of high school students earning college credit through articulated and dual enrollment agreements; expansion of robust and award-winning career pathways opportunities for students; and collaboration with regional EDCs and Chambers to connect students to high-demand, high-wage careers in the San Diego region.
Other highlights of Dr. Churchill's tenure in north county include recognition of Carlsbad as a “Best Community for Music Education” by the NAMM Foundation; district awards from the California School Boards Association (Golden Bell Awards), the California Department of Education (Green Ribbon Schools Awards and California Distinguished Schools Awards), and the US Department of Education (National Blue Ribbon School Awards and National Green Ribbon School Awards); and recognition of the district as a California Pivotal Practice Award Program winner for innovative practices.
Under Dr. Churchill’s leadership, Carlsbad schools worked intentionally to increase opportunities for marginalized students. Evidence of success includes recognition by the Learning Policy Institute as a “Positive Outlier” where students of color consistently achieve at higher than expected levels; recognition by the California Reading Coalition for success in improving the reading performance and literacy levels of Hispanic third-grade students; and recognition by the College Board for expanding female access to computer science.
Driven by a commitment to student success, Dr. Churchill’s transformative leadership and innovative vision have been recognized by local, state and national groups. He received the Innovative Superintendent Award from the Classroom of the Future Foundation; was recognized as a Superintendent to Watch by the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA); and was honored as the Superintendent of the Year by the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Region 18.
Dr. Churchill has served as an advisory member of the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, as a member and past chair of the Classroom of the Future Foundation Board of Directors, as a member of the California Interscholastic Federation San Diego Section (CIF-SDS) Board of Managers, and as a member and past chair of the North Coastal Consortium for Special Education (NCCSE) Board of Governors. He currently serves as ACSA Region 18’s Vice President for Legislative Action, leading legislative advocacy efforts at the regional and state level on behalf of the students and educators in San Diego and Imperial Counties.
Dr. Churchill earned a doctorate degree in education administration from Argosy University, a master’s degree in school leadership from Northeastern Illinois University, a master’s degree in teaching and learning from DePaul University, and a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Valparaiso University.