Bove to step down as FUHSD high school district superintendent

Polly Bove, superintendent of the Fremont Union High School District (FUHSD), has announced her intention to retire before the close of the 2021-22 school year.

“It has been one of the greatest pleasures and privileges of my life to have served as superintendent,” Bove said in a Jan. 7 statement. “Together as a community of staff, students and families, we have accomplished great things, and I have no doubt that the board of trustees will choose a new superintendent that will be committed to continuing FUHSD’s long history of excellence.”

Bove, who has served as superintendent since 2006, first joined the district in 1989, serving in a variety of roles, including deputy superintendent, executive director of educational services, district coordinator of student services and assistant principal of Homestead High School.

“Superintendent Bove’s thoughtful leadership and collaborative approach have served the Fremont Union High School District well over the past 15 years,” board president Naomi Nakano-Matsumoto said in a statement. “She has always sought to listen first before acting when looking for solutions to complex problems (and) has ensured that FUHSD considers and values the perspectives of all stakeholders when making decisions that affect students, families and staff.”

Under Bove’s leadership, FUHSD has created a variety of special education programs that help students ages 18-22 transition to independent living, vocational training and employment with job coaches. Bove’s husband Joseph served as an instructional assistant for one of these programs.

Bove is also credited with developing a collaborative approach to negotiations with the district’s collective bargaining units that has resulted in faculty and staff benefiting when the district manages its finances well. She shepherded the district through multiple successful parcel tax and bond measures, including the Measure M parcel tax renewal in November 2020. Voters renewed the annual tax of $98 per parcel for eight years to provide about $5 million annually, which the district intends to use primarily to attract and retain teachers and staff.

Bove has been a member of both the Cupertino and Sunnyvale Chambers of Commerce. She was named Citizen of the Year by the Cupertino Chamber of Commerce in 2018.

As part of the process of selecting the next superintendent, the district will hold several meetings where staff, students and parents will be invited to provide input. The district expects to hire a new superintendent by July 1.