Scott W Lay, Nevada County Superintendent of Schools for the past nine years, has announced that he will not seek reelection this June and has endorsed Nevada City School District Superintendent John Baggett for the position of County Superintendent of Schools.
Lay said he believes Baggett is an exceptional candidate for the office, noting that he was born and raised in the community, attended local schools, and has led both Nevada City School District and Colfax Elementary School District with distinction over the past decade.
“John will carry on the long tradition of excellence in our schools because he knows and deeply cares about this community,” said Lay. “The Baggett family has given greatly to our schools over the decades, and this represents a logical and seamless transition for our school community.”
Baggett, 57, is a graduate of the University of California, Irvine, and holds a Master’s degree in Education from National University. He began his career as a teacher at Newcastle Elementary School before serving for ten years as school principal and then Director of Educational Services for Twin Rivers Unified School District in the Sacramento region. He later returned to Nevada County as principal of both Scotten Elementary School and Lyman Gilmore Middle School in the Grass Valley School District. Over the past decade, Baggett has served as Superintendent and Principal of Colfax Elementary School District and, for the past four years, as Superintendent of Nevada City School District.
“I am honored by the opportunity to give back to Nevada County’s students, teachers, and schools that have provided me with so many opportunities,” said Baggett. “I am also grateful for Scott Lay’s endorsement, along with the support of the past four County Superintendents—Hermansen, McAteer, Houser, and Hund.”
Baggett credited his parents, Wanda and Don Baggett—Wanda, a teacher of 22 years in the Grass Valley School District, and Don, a longtime music teacher at Nevada Union High School—for instilling high standards and a strong work ethic that have guided his teaching and administrative career.
Baggett resides in Grass Valley with his wife, Katy, a longtime teacher at Forest Charter School in Nevada City. John and Katy are proud parents of daughters Grace and Ella, who were raised in Nevada County and graduated from Nevada Union High School. The sisters work in marketing—Ella, a Cal Poly Pomona graduate, supports local nonprofits including Bright Futures for Youth, KVMR, and Forest Charter School. Grace, a UC Riverside graduate, works with Berkshire Hathaway’s real estate division and is the mother of Kai; John and Katy’s three-year-old grandson. Lay oversees a staff of approximately 150 employees who provide fiscal oversight to Nevada County’s nine school districts, as well as program support in food services, special education, and curriculum. The County Office of Education also provides oversight for seven charter schools, including Nevada City School of the Arts, Yuba River Charter, Twin Ridges Home Study Charter, Forest Charter, Bitney Prep Charter, and two statewide charter schools—John Muir Charter and EPIC. Lay began his teaching career locally at Clear Creek Elementary School District and assumed the role of County Superintendent in 2017 following the retirement of Holly Hermansen. He noted that leading schools over the past decade was particularly challenging due to the COVID-19 pandemic and credited strong collaboration with local school administrators for supporting student learning during unprecedented circumstances.
“I’m proud that Nevada County was among the first counties in the state to safely reopen schools for in-person instruction,” Lay said. “Despite significant challenges, we have also been able to implement the Community Roots Program, which will soon provide all students with healthy, locally sourced breakfast and lunch meals each school day.”
Lay and his wife, Julie-Anne, plan to remain active in the community while also spending time visiting their two children and grandchildren in Arizona and South Korea.