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Cesar Chavez Ravenswood Middle School in East Palo Alto will spend the rest of the school year without a principal, according to Ravenswood City School District’s superintendent, who announced Cristian Miley’s departure in January.
Attempts to get comment from Miley were unsuccessful.
Superintendent Gina Sudaria emailed the school community on Jan. 16 to announce that Miley would no longer serve as principal, with little explanation.
“We wish him continued success in his next chapter,” the superintendent wrote. “As we move forward, I want to reassure our families and community that Cesar Chavez Ravenswood Middle School remains in capable hands.”
The school’s assistant principals will fill in, with Candace Gonzales in charge of sixth grade, Kyle Tana overseeing seventh grade, and Patrick Anseth covering eighth grade.
Omar Currie, the chief academic officer, will also work on campus three days each week to offer “direct support and continuity during this transition,” the superintendent wrote in her community message.
Joy Shen, the district’s director of strategy and operations, declined to discuss the reason for Miley’s mid-year departure, citing her inability to “share the details of personnel matters for any employee.”
On Jan. 29, the board approved a Human Resources Department personnel recommendation that included Principal Cristian Miley’s term under “public employee resignations/retirement” to expire March 6.
In her email, Sudaria outlined Miley’s accomplishments over his nearly three-year tenure at Cesar Chavez, which began on June 1, 2023. They included the opening of a new school building, implementation of a “clear” cellphone policy, and “more consistent structures” for family and community inclusion in school activities.
Miley describes himself in his LinkedIn biography as “dedicated to creating inclusive and supportive school cultures through restorative practices and a focus on student success.” The principal posted on the social platform one month ago that he’s “so excited” to have been selected to be a coach with Solutionary Advisors, an education consulting firm based in Menlo Park focused on equity.
“I have always had a dream about using my background, expertise, and education to support all areas of education with real transformation,” Miley wrote about his new coaching job, “and supporting school leaders to be able make real, sustainable, and truly impactful change.”
The Ravenswood School District will hold a “thoughtful and inclusive” hiring process in the coming weeks to find a new principal for the 2026 to 2027 school year, according to Sudaria. Families, staff and community members will be included, and the district expressed hopes that it will yield “a leader who brings the Ravenswood Promise to life.”
“We have full confidence in their leadership and in the strength of the entire school community,” the superintendent concluded. “Thank you to our staff, families, and students for your ongoing partnership and trust.”
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