New Assistant Superintendent

On Nov. 15, the SMMUSD instated Melody Canady as the new Assistant Superintendent of Business and Fiscal Services on the board of education. With her reputable background in the field of education, SMMUSD has confidence that Canady will bring an intelligent, fresh-minded perspective to the position. Canady’s two decades of experience in human resources, labor relations and business services have prepared her for tackling the new job. Prior to accepting her new position on the SMMUSD board of education, Canady was the top business officer in the Pajaro Unified School District. She was responsible for managing finances, organizing transportation and scheduling construction, alongside an additional list of important tasks that were vital to the wellbeing of the school district.Canady is thrilled to be filling the Assistant Superintendent position and recently sent out a public email expressing her excitement. “I am very excited to be joining the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District. I believe that every student deserves our full attention and commitment to excellence in education. I alsobelieve that every staff member from the bus driver to the superintendent plays a pivotal role in educating students and I can’t wait to grow and learn with everyone at SMMUSD,” Canady said.Canady is replacing the previous Assistant Superintendent, Jan Maez, who retired this past June. Although she has big shoes to fill, the SMMUSD board staff is confident that Canady will exceed expectations and help Superintendent Dr. Ben Drati make important decisions for the district. Drati is especially positive as they begin their partnership. “Ms. Canady will be a valuable addition to our district leadership team. I would like to congratulate her on her new position,” Drati said.