By Thalia Savage, Noa Callen, Sisseline Lovejoy
In December, Sara Stone, longtime Bay Area educator, took up the torch as Albany Unified’s new superintendent. We interviewed her in January 2025 to learn more about her and her outlook for our district.
As a teacher in Oakland, despite loving the one-on-one development she could achieve with her students, Stone felt that she wanted to contribute on a broader level and build on the potential she saw in her district: “There are things that I learned along the way from the perspective that I had that could help improve the outcomes and experiences for kids.”
These aspirations led her down the path to becoming a principal in Oakland Unified before becoming a district administrator, and then assistant superintendent at Ravenswood City School District in East Palo Alto.
“I was principal for ten years and then I wanted to pursue [being a leader of an entire district]” The reason? “It was really [about] supporting academics which is really where my heart is.”
“[Stone’s] passion for high-quality, research-based instruction that develops academic, social, and emotional skills was a key factor in her selection as our next superintendent,” stated Albany Board of Education President, Vonnie Davidson, in the October district news release.
In our interview, Stone shared, “I have a lot of passion about helping youth understand what is out there after school because we often talk about getting to college but we don’t talk about what’s beyond college.” She wants to make sure students here “see the different types of pathways they can take towards what it is they want to do in their lives.”
When we asked what she’s learning in her first weeks here in Albany, she responded, “More than anything, each person’s unique story and voice.” She added, “Everyone has a different experience that they’re bringing to the community, and everyone’s way of seeing things is slightly different.”
“I remember being [a young person] and wishing adults would like to hear when I had to say and acknowledge it. So for me it is a unique opportunity for me to go back and be that adult who can hear and value that voice.”
Stone aspires to help all her students, pre-K through 12th grade. She shared that no matter what role she has, it’s essential that she is “always centering the most historically marginalized and racialized communities and voices in the work that we’re doing.”
When asked about her eventual goal for Albany Unified School District, she responded: “my ultimate goal is every student should be able to be successful as a result of having time here.”
Outside of work, Stone loves reading (“I’m kind of a sucker for true crime”), being in nature, and spending time with her two children.
She revealed, “Honestly if I was going to spend the perfect day, it would probably be going on a hike with my dogs.”
