John Bowes Email and Phone Number

I was proud to have led DJUSD, an award-winning school district, well-known for academic achievement and a breadth of quality choice programming in music, international languages, elementary science, visual/performing arts, athletics, technology, and career technical education. My focus was on providing families safe, positive schools where a culture of excellence and equity provided the foundation for all students to succeed. In DJUSD, our school offerings included a tradition of outstanding instruction, collaborative and innovative teaching and learning and we thrived because of the unparalleled community support.DJUSD was designated a California Exemplary District (2018) and home to eight California Distinguished Schools as recognized by the California Department of Education. Davis Senior High was ranked 75th among California schools and 534th nationally in the 2019 U.S. News Best High Schools ranking. Most notably, DJUSD staff, students and programs were regularly recognized regionally, statewide, nationally and even internationally for innovations, initiatives and achievements.A commitment to close achievement and opportunity gaps and to building student social and emotional health was a hallmark of our Local Control and Accountability Plan. Our DJUSD Graduate Profile defined 21st Century Learning by specifying outcomes that we, as a community, believed were important for student success in college, career, and life.Innovative teaching and learning in DJUSD classrooms was the result of the dedication and creativity of the teachers and staff. Many thanks to the Davis Community for passing the Measure M Bond program in 2018, which brought $150 million dollars in 21st Century facilities improvements to our campuses. Thanks also for the decades of parcel tax support that have provided quality enrichment programs which continue to help to differentiate the educational experience for DJUSD students.

As the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources for the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District, I served over 1400 employees and 11,500 students in a K-12 setting. I led our District in recruiting and retaining talented and qualified educators and support staff committed to our District vision and providing a World Class educational experience for our students. I also led our District negotiations at the bargaining table with the purpose of aligning our collective bargaining agreements with our District vision, goals and Roadmap. Playing a lead role in the integration of technology in our instructional and operational programs was an area of significant accomplishment.

I was the Director of Labor Relations for the Los Angeles Unified School District, serving over 600,000 students and 1000 schools. I represented the District at the bargaining table with two certificated and ten classified bargaining units. Developing labor, budget and communication strategies with the Superintendent and Board of Education was critical to building relationships with our unions that developed job restoration and furlough agreements which saved thousands of jobs during the economic downturn.

As the Assistant Chief Human Resources Officer, I led a team of 15 certificated and classified experts in advising over 2200 school site, local district and central office administrators and supervisors on all aspects of collective bargaining, grievances, employee evaluation and discipline. In addition to developing and leading an administrative training program, I co-chaired the Teacher Effectiveness Task Force, led the Task Force committee on teacher evaluation, and utilized digital tools and programs to improve our bargaining outcomes, evaluative, discipline, and grievance processes.

As a Field Director, I directly provided service to over 220 administrators and other District personnel in contract matters relating to the work of certificated and classified staff. Providing support to over 70 elementary, middle and high schools to develop win-win solutions in matters of contract interpretation and labor issues was a hallmark of this work. The review of charter school applications and serving on the District’s health and welfare bargaining team were new learning experiences in this role.

As a Director of School Services, I was responsible for the academic achievement and safety of 20 traditional and year-round calendar elementary schools, which included over 12,000 students, 45 administrators and 700 teachers. I regularly provided professional development that increased the instructional leadership capacity of principals and assistant principals. The co-location of charter schools on existing sites and serving as a liaison with other area charters was an expanding area of responsibility at that time. I was also responsible for monitoring the construction process at a variety of sites and meeting with district facilities staff, architects, owner-authorized representatives, construction teams and community members for new and existing school construction projects.

As the principal at Coldwater Canyon Elementary, I led the development of model programs for standards-based instruction with a focus on the use of formative and summative data to transform how grade-level teams could change classroom practice. Innovative special education mainstreaming and push-in programs and our focus on literacy development helped pushed our work to the next level.

As the principal at Lanai Road Elementary, I led teachers in increasing our API score 180 points over three years. In addition to implementing Arts Prototype, School for Advanced Studies and model special education programs, I secured Wonder of Reading Library, Anne and Kirk Douglas Playground, and Health Start Planning grants. Engaging the community and transforming Lanai Road into a neighborhood school established Lanai Road as a first-tier public elementary school.

The launch of the standards-based instructional movement led our staff development work at this LEARN governance school. The use of data in improving student conduct and attendance, Class Size Reduction hiring, and staff technology training coincided with Action Research conducted while obtaining my Tier II Professional Administrative Credential. Translating for Spanish-speaking parents at IEPs and other meetings was a regular part of my work.

Providing leadership for Title I, English Learner and School Improvement programs at this LEARN II governance school focused on the use of data to inform instructional and operational decisions. I led parent trainings in Spanish and English, and regularly translated for Spanish-speaking parents at IEPs, report card conference meetings and school-wide assemblies. I also taught courses in Health and Brain Based Learning for the LAUSD District Intern program.

I taught grades K-2 in a full bilingual setting and my leadership work at these schools focused on science and the use of technology. During my first three years teaching, I completed my teaching credentials as part of the LAUSD District Intern program. I am proud to have been the first District Intern to become a Director in the LAUSD later in my career.

One month after graduating from Virginia Tech, I left for the Peace Corps, serving in Guatemala as part of the newly-formed Small Enterprise Development program. I worked in the western highlands of Quetzaltenango and in the desert of El Progreso. I supported local entrepreneurs in augmenting their family income in businesses as diverse as producing cashew nuts, chicken raising, ceramic fuel efficient stoves, glass blowing, assisting agricultural cooperatives and clothes making. My service there sparked a belief in the power of education as a means to success in life and to dedicating myself to become an educator.