Dr Donald Austin became Superintendent of Schools of the PVPUSD in 2014. He graduated from Baker University in Kansas and has Masters and Doctors degrees in Education from Azusa Pacific University. He taught in Hemet and Moreno Valley before becoming Principal of La Sierra High School and then Laguna Beach High School. He became Assistant Superintendent in Huntington Beach in 1911 before his appointment as Superintendent in Palos Verdes.
 
Dr. Austin’s philosophy is to put people first and make their jobs fun, but don’t celebrate mediocrity. Being happy is more productive.
 
Our Palos Verdes School District is relatively isolated geographically, because it is not easy to come to (no nearby freeways) and is an increasingly expensive place to live. This has advantages and disadvantages. We have high-quality schools, but the quality should not depend on which side of the Hill people live on. World-class has no finish line; we should always ask what we can do better.
 
Career readiness is different now. People often have multiple careers over their lifetimes, with no pension and an unsure or no paycheck. College readiness is important to avoid a gap when graduating to a higher institution. Our changing world requires more versatility of knowledge and talents than in the past when people could just choose a career and stay there. He hopes to continue improving the quality of teaching and the efficient use of always-limited resources.