The Palm Springs Unified School District has appointed Dr. Tonatiuh "Tony" Signoret as interim superintendent of schools following the resignation of Dr. Mike Swize. The Board of Education plans to begin the search for a new superintendent of schools at its next meeting on July 11, according to PSUSD on Facebook.
"It is an honor to have the opportunity to serve as PSUSD's interim superintendent of schools, and I appreciate the Board of Education's confidence in me to serve in this role," Signoret said in a PSUSD Facebook post. "As a longtime member of our district family, I am fully invested in our future and am excited to work with our amazing Leadership Team and second-to-none staff to move us forward and continue our focus on providing a safe, secure and equitable education for all our students. I am also eager to work with all of our stakeholders including our families, community members and civic leaders and welcome any feedback and input from them throughout this time."
After earning a master's degree in educational leadership from Chapman University and a doctoral degree in organizational leadership from the University of La Verne Signoret dedicated the majority of his 32-year career in education to PSUSD, the Facebook post said.
Starting as a bilingual teacher at Agua Caliente Elementary, he has held various roles including district assistant principal, principal at both elementary and middle school levels, director of certified human resources and assistant superintendent of human resources at Desert Sands Unified School District. Signoret, who grew up in Mexico City, is fully bilingual in Spanish.
The former superintendent, Swize, recently announced his resignation following his appointment as the new superintendent of Perris Elementary School District. Swize was named PSUSD's superintendent in July of 2021, and had worked in education with PSUSD since 1990, according to the PSUSD website.
"It is with mixed emotions that I make this decision to leave the district I have been with my entire career," Swize said on the website. "I could not be prouder of the amazing work we have done as a district, and I could not be more grateful to have been part of the executive leadership team for the past 13 years. I will miss my extraordinary colleagues and our most supportive Board of Education, families and community members."