Board Picks New Garden Grove Schools Chief

Garden Grove schools officials announced Wednesday that Laura Schwalm, a longtime school district administrator, will become the new superintendent, making her the first woman to head this 47,000-student school system, the second largest in Orange County.

This week, the school board unanimously confirmed Schwalm, 48, as the successor of Ron Walter, who is retiring after more than three decades with the Garden Grove Unified School District.

Schwalm will assume her new post May 1.

“I have some big shoes to fill,” she said Wednesday. “This district has a tradition of providing the best programs possible for the community, and I will continue that tradition.”

Schwalm entered Garden Grove schools in 1973 as an elementary school teacher. She moved up the ranks to become a principal and assistant superintendent of personnel, among other administrative roles. Last year, she was promoted to associate superintendent of personnel and business.

School board member Kenneth H. Slimmer said the trustees considered Schwalm after community and district employees strongly recommended her. Officials also wanted to select a new leader from within, at the community’s request.

“I don’t know anyone that didn’t speak favorably about her,” Slimmer said. “She has such a depth of knowledge in the district that we didn’t see any sense in going out of the district for somebody else.”

An Orange County native, Schwalm graduated from Laguna Beach High School and received her bachelor’s degree from UC Riverside. She then earned her master’s degree from Cal State Fullerton and her doctorate in educational leadership from USC.

As superintendent, Schwalm will be responsible for the daily operations of Garden Grove Unified School District, which serves most of Garden Grove and portions of Santa Ana, Westminster, Fountain Valley, Cypress, Stanton and Anaheim.