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The Pleasanton Unified School District Board of Trustees unanimously appointed deputy superintendent Ed Diolazo on Thursday night to serve as the district’s next superintendent.
Diolazo, a longtime PUSD administrator who has spent the last decade working primarily in the district’s student services department, will begin his new role starting Jan. 1.
“Thank you to the board for the trust and confidence you have placed in me,” Diolazo said during the meeting. “I’m deeply honored and humbled by the opportunity to serve as the next superintendent of Pleasanton Unified.”
According to his employment agreement, Diolazo’s contract will last until June 30, 2030. His base salary for the remainder of the 2026-27 school year will be $321,000.
Over the next few months, current Superintendent Maurice Ghysels said he will work with Diolazo to ensure a smooth transition, but noted that he believes the board made the right decision in choosing Diolazo as the district’s next superintendent.
“It’s time, you’re ready,” Ghysels told Diolazo.
Ghysels’ last day with the district will be on Dec. 31.
His original two-year contract, which the board approved in 2025, was supposed to end in June 2027 but per his contract, he is allowed to submit his intent to retire 90 days beforehand, so as to allow the district with enough time to find a replacement, which is what ended up happening. The board accepted Ghysels’ retirement letter during the same board meeting this Thursday.
According to school board president Kelly Baehr, the board held three special closed session board meetings over the past several weeks to discuss and consider the appointment of Diolazo – who was former superintendent David Haglund’s first pick as his successor when Haglund left in 2024.
However, Trustee Justin Brown said the board back then did not think it was the right time to appoint Diolazo, which is why they went with Ghysels. Now, however, Brown and the board collectively said he is ready to take on the job.
“Mr. Diolazo is uniquely prepared to lead PUSD at this moment,” Baehr said in a press release Thursday. “He brings deep knowledge of our students, staff, schools, community, and District priorities. His experience, judgment, and institutional knowledge will provide continuity and steady leadership. The Board looks forward to working closely with Mr. Diolazo and District leadership to build on the progress already underway and advance PUSD’s priorities together.”
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