Pajaro Valley Unified School District Superintendent Heather Contreras speaks during her State of the District Address in Watsonville on Friday Oct. 9. (Amaya Edwards — Santa Cruz Local/Report for America)

WATSONVILLE >>  Superintendent Heather Contreras is officially set to be the superintendent of the San Luis Coastal Unified School District after the Board of Trustees unanimously approved her new position on Tuesday.  

This week, Santa Cruz Local broke the news of Contreras leaving Pajaro Valley Unified School District. Contreras’ departure is coming just a little more than three years after she took over the largest school district in the county in May 2024. 

Contreras, who signed a three-year contract, is scheduled to start in San Luis Obispo on July 1, 2027, and will receive a salary of $323,668 for the 2027 and 2028 school year. 

In 2024, Contreras’ salary at PVUSD started at $242,000 a year, but jumped to $268,536 for the 2025 and 2026 school year. 

Contreras’ last day in PVUSD will be June 30, which has left many in the community wondering what the next steps are for finding her replacement.

Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board member Carol Turley speaks at Contreras’ State of the District Address in Watsonville on Friday, Oct. 9. (Amaya Edwards — Santa Cruz Local/Report for America)

In an Oct. 7 press release, it was announced that the PVUSD Board of Trustees will begin the search for a new superintendent in the coming weeks, and emphasized that the process will include students, families and community members’ input, according to the statement by Alejandro Chavez, PVUSD’s public information officer.

The SLCU Board of Trustees shared that the applicant pool was extremely competitive and diverse. Brian Clausen, SLCU board clerk, said that Contreras was ultimately chosen due to her relevant experience in serving a broad community of students from Watsonville to Aptos, and that the selection committee was impressed in how she put the Pajaro Valley district “in a much better situation.” 

The search for a new superintendent came after Eric Prater, the longtime leader of San Luis Obispo schools, announced he will be retiring. 

During the recent board meeting, some community members of San Luis Obispo raised concerns with the board’s decision to hire Contreras, with many feeling blindsided about the decision, and said the selection process lacked community input. 

“People are confused and upset and outraged,” said Caorline Cotta, President of the San Luis Coastal Teachers Association. “Most of our members are frustrated that you spent thousands of district dollars to search for a superintendent.” 

Contreras held a State of the District Address Friday morning for the Pajaro Valley school community, and highlighted the district-wide improvements in English and Math. She also touched on the recent announcement of her imminent departure, but assured the community that “students will get the things they need so they can be productive members of society.”

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