The San Mateo Union High School District Board of Trustees approved a contract to hire Dr. Sheliah Burnette-Lyle as the district’s new director of student services at their April 10 regular Board Meeting. Burnette-Lyle’s start date is July 1, 2025.

In this position, Burnette-Lyle will oversee programs and services that support student well-being and academic success including enrollment and attendance. Burnette-Lyle will be responsible for ensuring compliance with relevant laws and regulations while serving as the district liaison to community agencies related to counseling, student health and wellness programs, and attendance.

Burnette-Lyle received her Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. She earned her Master of Arts in both School Counseling and School Administration from North Carolina Central University and a Bachelor of Social Work from Meredith College.

Burnette-Lyle’s career in education spans over 20 years and includes many leadership roles at both the school and district level with a focus on teaching, social work, counseling, and school and district administration. Most recently, Burnette-Lyle joined the Alameda County Office of Education as the interim program manager of community schools in January. At ACOE, Burnette-Lyle works with a team to support the implementation of community schools statewide through a contract with the California Department of Education.

Burnette-Lyle served as the director of student services at Richland School District Two (Columbia, South Carolina) from 2021 until January 2025 where she developed extensive experience in leading strategic, data-driven school and districtwide improvement teams. She was an adjunct professor at Clemson University from 2022 to 2023 where she taught courses in instructional leadership and contemporary issues in education.