Press release from Eureka City Schools:

On June 27, 2023, Dr. Van Vleck announced to the Eureka City Schools Board of Education his intent to leave his post as Superintendent in January of 2024.

The Eureka City Schools Board of Education would like to thank Dr. Fred Van Vleck for his 11 years of service (nearly 12 when he departs in January) to the students of Eureka City Schools. Board President Mike Duncan said, “The work Dr. Van Vleck has done in Eureka City Schools will impact our students for generations to come.”

“Dr. Van Vleck is a native of Humboldt County and we are pleased he chose to come home and serve our students,” notes Board Clerk Susan Johnson. “I had the pleasure of serving on the interview panel for Dr. Van Vleck back in 2012. We were looking for a new superintendent who understood our community and was willing to make a long-term commitment to our District. We are proud that when he leaves the District during the next school year, he will be the longest-currently-serving superintendent in Humboldt County. This is a testament to his commitment to the students attending Eureka City Schools.”

While we are disappointed at the news Dr. Van Vleck shared with us on June 27, 2023, we would like to celebrate his many accomplishments as our Superintendent and wish him luck in his future endeavors. We are particularly pleased that he is willing to provide services as the Superintendent in the interim, during our search process. He has committed to work half of the 2023-24 school year to help ensure the transition of the next Superintendent is successful.

During Dr. Van Vleck’s tenure, some of the more notable projects include an over 75 million dollar construction program with projects on every site in the District. He was able to leverage our local dollars and bring in 10’s of millions of dollars from Sacramento. He has been active in the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA), serving as the Regional Vice President and representative to the State Superintendent’s Advisory Council. He has also served on the California School Boards Association Superintendents’ Advisory Council.

As a former Agriculture and Career and Technical Education teacher, Dr. Van Vleck champions programs for students seeking a career in the trades. During his work in Eureka, he was recognized as the California Association FFA Star Administrator for the State of California. Dr. Van Vleck has also been very active in the community, helping to raise millions of dollars for nonprofits, charities, and students with his skill as an auctioneer. He has been an active member of the Eureka Rotary and a member of the Humboldt County Fair Board.

Moving forward, the Board plans to conduct a statewide search for the new Superintendent. The process starts with selecting a firm to work with the community to establish priorities in what qualities and characteristics we are looking for in our next Superintendent. The same firm will then attract and recruit candidates for the Board to interview and select from. The Board is anticipating the new Superintendent to start in January 2024.