Former Hanford educator Edward Gomes will be the new Superintendent of the Selma Unified School District (SUSD) effective July 1.

His contract was ratified by the board of trustees at their April 25 board meeting with an initial three-year term through June 30, 2026. 

Gomes will succeed Superintendent Marilyn Shepherd, Ed.D., who is retiring effective June 30 and who will work closely with Gomes on his transition to superintendent.

Gomes comes to SUSD from Fresno Unified School District, where he has most recently served as lead instructional superintendent. He worked in Hanford Elementary School District from 1995-2008, and joined Fresno Unified in 2008, where he served as principal of elementary schools and a middle school before being promoted to administrator of leadership development and instructional superintendent before his current position.

During his principalships at Fresno Unified schools, he consistently increased test scores and similar school rankings, significantly decreased expulsions and suspensions, and moved the schools out of Program Improvement status, according to an SUSD release.  

His career has taken him to various districts and communities in Hilmar, Hanford, and Fresno. Gomes has worked for and alongside Title I schools, Distinguished and Blue Ribbon Schools, Harlem Children’s Zone Schools in New York, and Program Improvement Schools around California.

In his current position at Fresno Unified, he leads 11 large district departments with over 130 district employees and a $65 million budget, along with leading all school supervisors.

In 2012 he was named Fresno Unified’s Administrator of the Year; in 2013 he was honored as Fresno County Administrator of the Year. 

“I want to express my deep appreciation for this opportunity and my unwavering commitment to the Selma Unified students, staff, and community we serve,” said Gomes. “I am honored to be selected as your Superintendent, and I look forward to working alongside the Selma staff to achieve a shared vision for educational excellence.”

Gomes earned a bachelor’s degree in Spanish from Fresno State and a master’s in education from Fresno Pacific University. He is trilingual/tri-literate in Spanish, English, and Portuguese.

From Hanford Sentinel and Press Release news sources

PBBI-Fresno State, especially our Portuguese-American Educators Leadership Network project, would like to congratulate Mr. Gomes and his proud parents.

https://www.selmausd.org/Page/2810