Heather Pilgrim
SuperintendentOak Valley Union School DistrictJ. Heather Pilgrim, Ed.S., is a servant leader and veteran Superintendent who believes that student success doesn’t happen by chance—it is the result of thoughtful, intentional design. As the founder of Intentional Design for Student Success, Heather’s 32 years in education, 12 years as superintendent, has included experience leading multiple districts to partner with small and rural school systems. Her work focuses on moving districts from isolated initiatives to coherent, sustainable programs that translate vision into practice while respecting the unique resource realities of rural communities.
Throughout her career as a practitioner, Heather has established a proven track record of achieving measurable results by successfully leading a post-pandemic recovery that saw Tier 2 intervention needs drop from 30% to just 9% and in a previous district, her strategic approach to literacy instruction helped increase student reading proficiency from 45% to 75% in just three years.
A recognized leader in California’s educational landscape, Heather has served as the ACSA Region 11 President, a member of the ACSA Legislative Policy Committee and ACSA Curriculum, Instruction, and Accountability Council. She holds an Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) degree in Curriculum, Instruction, and Professional Development. Heather is dedicated to creating clear and creative pathways and innovative designs that fundamentally change student lives.
An 8-Point Roadmap from Classroom to CTE
Come with a vision for creating a new program or re-imganinig an existing one. We will work through the 8 steps of intentional designing an educationa
…Come with a vision for creating a new program or re-imganinig an existing one. We will work through the 8 steps of intentional designing an educational program, from budget, facilites, and staffing to sustainability. This is a practical and thought p
…Come with a vision for creating a new program or re-imganinig an existing one. We will work through the 8 steps of intentional designing an educational program, from budget, facilites, and staffing to sustainability. This is a practical and thought provoking session aimed at wresting with the realities of K-12 environments.
Come with a vision for creating a new program or re-imganinig an existing one. We will work through the 8 steps of intentional designing an educational program, from budget, facilites, and staffing to sustainability. This is a practical and thought provoking session aimed at wresting with the realities of K-12 environments.
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Ask the K–12 Superintendents: Drop-In Q&A
Forget the formal lecture. Pull up a chair in The Learning Space for candid conversations and practical problem-solving with experts who understand yo
…Forget the formal lecture. Pull up a chair in The Learning Space for candid conversations and practical problem-solving with experts who understand your challenges. EDspaces presenters will be hosting informal, role-specific Q&A sessions, sharing
…Forget the formal lecture. Pull up a chair in The Learning Space for candid conversations and practical problem-solving with experts who understand your challenges. EDspaces presenters will be hosting informal, role-specific Q&A sessions, sharing insights and solutions drawn from real-world experience.
Bring your toughest questions, from stretching a modernization budget to translating educational goals into effective learning spaces. Connec
…Forget the formal lecture. Pull up a chair in The Learning Space for candid conversations and practical problem-solving with experts who understand your challenges. EDspaces presenters will be hosting informal, role-specific Q&A sessions, sharing insights and solutions drawn from real-world experience.
Bring your toughest questions, from stretching a modernization budget to translating educational goals into effective learning spaces. Connect with experts and peers, exchange ideas, and leave with fresh perspectives you can put to work.
Focus: Educational leadership, strategic planning, district priorities, community engagement, and student success.
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