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After more than a decade, the San Benito County Superintendent of Schools position is up for grabs. Held by Krystal Lomanto since 2014, she ran unopposed for three elections. Lomanto said she will retire after her current term ends.
Two candidates, Gwen Baquiran and Jennifer Logue, are vying for the position in the June 2 primary election.
According to the San Benito County Office of Education website, its primary mission is to provide educational services to children, and the county superintendent of schools administers the operation of the County Office of Education as an intermediate service unit for all elementary and secondary school districts. The office also serves as a facilitator in activities between other governmental and support agencies and works closely with federal legislators to maximize funding and opportunities.
According to the candidate handbook, qualifications for the position include possessing a valid administrative credential issued by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing and being a registered voter of the county, or district in San Benito County, at the time nominations papers are issued.
Gwen Baquiran, 45, was born and raised in the Philippines. She came to the United States in 2008 and now resides in Hollister. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in educational leadership, along with professional credentials in teaching, special education, and educational administration.
What is your educational and professional experience for this position?
I bring over 21 years of experience in public education, along with a strong foundation in teaching, special education, and educational leadership at both the district and county levels. My career has included roles as a classroom teacher, special education teacher, instructional leader, program director, and currently Assistant Superintendent of Student Services at the San Benito County Office of Education.
I have led the development and implementation of programs that support both academic achievement and student well-being, with a clear focus on measurable impact. My experience spans district-level implementation, working directly with students, teachers, and school sites and county-level leadership, where I lead efforts in special education, student mental health, positive behavior intervention support, multi-tiered systems of support, foster and homeless youth services, school safety, and community school Expansion.
I also bring experience in budget development, grant management, and aligning multiple funding streams to maximize services for students. I’ve worked closely with families and listening to their needs, building trust, and ensuring they are active partners in their children’s education. I’ve partnered with local, regional, and state agencies to bring additional resources and services directly into our schools. A key part of my work has been leading community outreach efforts that remove barriers for students and families, organizing events that provide free essential resources such as school supplies, holiday food, and winter clothing, as well as comprehensive eye exams, prescription glasses, and access to health and wellness services. I’ve worked closely with community partners to expand access to critical resources, including health services, academic support, and enrichment opportunities.
This combination of hands-on experience and systems-level leadership has prepared me to lead with both vision and accountability, focused on ensuring every student has access to the support and opportunities they need to succeed.
What do you consider to be your greatest strengths for the role?
My greatest strengths are visionary leadership, advocacy, and accountability. I lead with a clear vision of schools where every student is supported, challenged, and prepared for their future. I work collaboratively with educators, families, and community partners to turn that vision into action.
Advocacy has been central to my work. I have consistently championed the needs of students, especially those most vulnerable, while also ensuring educators and school staff have the resources and support they need to be successful.
Equally important is accountability. I set high expectations, use data to guide decisions, and ensure that programs and resources are making a measurable impact on student outcomes. I believe in transparency, continuous improvement, and follow-through.
What do you think the top priority should be for the superintendent of schools?
The top priority is ensuring every student has access to high-quality education through strong instruction and comprehensive support systems. While student outcomes in San Benito County are showing modest improvement, progress remains uneven. Less than half of students are on track on reading at grade level, and only one in three are on track in math. Some student groups, including English learners and students with disabilities, continue to face significant gaps.
This calls for a focused and collaborative approach: strengthening instruction in every classroom, supporting educators, and implementing targeted strategies that meet the needs of all students. At the same time, we need to continue to integrate mental health supports, positive behavior systems, and services for students in special education, foster care, and those experiencing homelessness.
Investing in educators and staff is a priority for me. Teachers and staff need to have the training, resources, and support needed to meet the diverse needs of students.
Strong partnerships with families and community agencies are also essential. These partnerships expand opportunities, connect students to real-world experiences, and bring critical resources into our schools. Together, this approach supports the whole child and ensures our schools are preparing every student for success in school, career, and life while staying grounded in the county’s long-term vision for education.
What are some concerns of teachers and administrators in the district, and how would you address them as superintendent?
Teachers and administrators are navigating increasing demands. Recent needs assessment data highlights key concerns, including workload and burnout, staffing shortages, growing class sizes, and the pressure to improve student outcomes while meeting diverse student needs.
Educators also value professional learning but are asking for training that is practical and immediately useful in the classroom, particularly in educational technology, AI tools, curriculum development, and strategies to support multilingual learners and students with diverse needs. They also emphasize the importance of time for collaboration and training that does not add to burnout.
As superintendent, I would address these concerns by strengthening support systems for educators. This includes expanding access to meaningful professional learning, prioritizing educator well-being, and ensuring training is relevant and manageable. I would also focus on recruitment and retention, ensuring educators and staff feel valued and supported. In addition, I would work to ensure equitable access to resources across districts, particularly in rural areas, and support districts in navigating enrollment and funding challenges.
Listening and collaboration are essential. I would continue to engage educators and administrators in decision-making, alongside data, to ensure solutions are responsive and effective. When we take care of our educators, we create stronger schools and lead to better outcomes for our students.
As superintendent, how would you support the various school districts to ensure students are prepared for success?
As county superintendent, my role is to support and partner with school districts so they have the resources and capacity to ensure student success. This begins with aligning county services to district needs, informed by data and ongoing collaboration. A key priority is strengthening instruction, particularly in literacy and math through technical assistance, coaching, and access to evidence-based practices.
We need to also continue to strengthen systems such as multi-tiered supports, student services, and positive behavior frameworks so all students are ready to learn. The county office plays a critical role in connecting districts with state and community resources. Through partnerships, we can expand access to mental health services, health care, and enrichment opportunities. Building district capacity in supporting educators and leaders while respecting local control is important. My focus is to ensure every district, regardless of size, has equitable access to the support, resources, and partnerships needed so all students are prepared.
Jennifer Logue, 55, was born and raised in Las Vegas, New Mexico. She has lived in San Benito County since 1992. She worked at Hollister High School as a chemistry teacher, track and field coach, cross-country coach and assistant principal. She also worked as a program specialist for new teacher support for San Benito High School District. In addition, she has worked for the San Benito County Office of Education as director of curriculum and instruction, assistant superintendent of educational and administrative services, and deputy superintendent. She has a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from St. Olaf College, a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction and administrative leadership from Chapman University. Currently she is studying for her doctorate in education at Columbia Southern University in curriculum and instruction.
What is your educational and professional experience for this position?
My experience as a classroom educator, site and district leader, and as the current Deputy Superintendent at the San Benito County Office of Education, has given me a comprehensive understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the County Superintendent of Schools. Because I have lived here for over 30 years and raised my four daughters here, I understand the community and want to make sure our students succeed.
I began my career in 1992 as a chemistry and science teacher at Hollister High School, where I also coached track and field. A few years later, I also started coaching the cross country team. After 13 years, I was hired as the program specialist for new teacher support for the San Benito High School District, where I mentored new teachers and helped them complete their teacher induction program for their teaching credential. In 2007, I became an assistant principal at Hollister High School and learned what it takes to run a large, comprehensive school site.
In 2014, I moved to the San Benito County Office of Education, where I still serve. I began as the director of curriculum and instruction, working with all schools in the county, including the county-operated alternative education programs, to provide professional development around state standards. In the director position and, later, as an assistant superintendent, my work included writing the county office local control accountability plan (LCAP) and overseeing the approval process the county office uses to approve district LCAPs. I have been part of multiple statewide committees, including the Curriculum and Instruction Steering Committee, Accountability Subcommittee, Personnel Administrators Steering Committee, and the CA Rural Network Steering Committee.
Over the past several years, I have worked with districts and community partners across the county to bring in over $7.5 million in grant funding that directly supports students around attendance, academic intervention, and school-based mental health. Part of this work involved strengthening relationships between the county office, San Benito County Behavioral Health, and districts in the county to ensure every student has access to a school-based mental health provider.
My experience has given me a strong understanding of school finance and budgeting, having managed multi-million-dollar grant budgets as well as county office department budgets. In addition, I have overseen the Human Resources Department for many years and am the chief negotiator for the county office, so I understand the laws and regulations around hiring, negotiations and other personnel-related matters.
Finally, I am an active member of our community, sitting on the Board of Directors for CASA San Bento and serving as the vice president for legislative action for our local Association of School Administrators chapter. I am also the president of Zeta Epsilon, our local chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, which supports women in education.
What do you consider to be your greatest strengths for the role?
I have always been able to bring people together to work toward a common goal, which is demonstrated in my ability to develop the SBCOE Teacher Induction Program, bring in school-based mental health services, and receive millions of dollars in grant funding for schools across our county. My decisions are based on what is best for students and my focus is always on how we can support student learning and success.
As a leader, I am ethical, transparent, and listen to people. As a result, I have built strong relationships with district leaders, school and county office staff, and community organizations. I have a strong work ethic and will do what it takes to get the job done. I believe that every problem has a solution, though it might require approaching it from a new perspective. I am open to exploring creative ideas that benefit everyone involved.
What do you think the top priority should be for the superintendent of schools?
The top priorities for the San Benito County Superintendent of Schools right now should be to:
Increase academic success: Many of our students are not meeting the standard in ELA, math and science, so we need to focus on improving academic outcomes and ensuring our teachers, support staff and administrators have what they need to provide a high-quality education for our students.
Prepare our students for future careers: Students need to be prepared with the skills and knowledge to be successful in their future careers, whether they move right into work after high school or attend college, trade school, the military, etc., first.
Ensure schools are safe and supportive: Students cannot learn, and teachers cannot teach unless they feel safe and cared for, so we must proactively address safety issues such as school violence, drugs, and bullying and we must make sure schools are prepared for emergencies like earthquakes and fires.
Ensure fiscal responsibility: Districts need to use public funds wisely on effective services and programs that directly impact students. Addressing each of these priorities requires a leader who can bring schools, families, and the community together to find solutions, working with each group to build on strengths and identify actions to address each area, while also holding districts accountable for using funds appropriately and on programs that show positive results for students.
What are some concerns of teachers and administrators in the district, and how would you address them as superintendent?
While each district in San Benito County is unique, I believe some of the common concerns of teachers and administrators include how to address the increased needs of students coming into our schools; the increased time demands on school staff; securing adequate school funding; and making sure our schools are safe places to learn and work.
As county superintendent I will increase communication between district leaders and county office staff to identify possible solutions to these concerns such as providing targeted professional development for staff, increasing partnerships with parents and community organizations, and evaluating programs to identify those that effectively meet our students’ needs and those that should be discontinued because they are not working. I will also advocate at the state and local level for school funding and work collaboratively with districts and the community to maximize our funding through shared programs, partnerships and seeking additional grant funds. To ensure our schools are safe places to learn and work I will provide opportunities for schools, law enforcement and community organizations to work together to proactively address school violence, drug abuse, and bullying.
As superintendent, how would you support the various school districts to ensure students are prepared for success?
The role of a county superintendent is to provide guidance, technical assistance and support to districts in a variety of areas, including instruction, curriculum, finance, and the laws and statutes related to education. Effective support begins with communication, listening to the superintendents, administrators, teachers and parents in each district to learn about what they are doing and what their needs are as they seek to prepare students for success in school.
Once we have identified the needs, as county superintendent I will work with our county office staff to provide support targeted to those needs. Support will look different for each district and may include actions such as advocating at the state level or with our local leaders; providing technical assistance and training for staff; and creating new programs that support student learning. One example of this was the development of the SBCOE Teacher Induction Program which was the result of district superintendents asking for a local induction program so their teachers did not have to go out of county to receive induction services.
On a broader level, I believe it is important for the county superintendent to educate the community on how the educational system works, leading countywide initiatives that support student learning, and working to build and strengthen community partnerships with districts to support education across our county.
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