As requested by many vocal board-watchers in the community, as
well as School Board trustees, the first steps in the search for a
new superintendent have been taken.
As requested by many vocal board-watchers in the community, as well as School Board trustees, the first steps in the search for a new superintendent have been taken.
Superintendent Carolyn McKennan’s contract expires June 30. Trustees decided during Monday night’s regular School Board meeting to have Board President George Panos appoint a committee to start the process; Panos said the subcommittee would be made up of three current board members – Shelle Thomas, Mike Hickey and Amina Khemici – plus Don Moody, who was appointed to fill the vacancy left when former Trustee Tom Kinoshita resigned in March. Moody will be sworn in Dec. 6.
However, district staff after the meeting determined that according to state law Moody became a board member when trustees voted on the appointment. With four board members on the committee, meetings would have to be noticed and agendas posted.
No decision has been made on whether the committee’s makeup would be changed to avoid having four board members on it.
The committee will review five proposals sent to the district from search firms and make a recommendation to the board at its Nov. 15 meeting.
Trustee Jan Masuda requested Monday night that the selection of the search firm be placed as an action item on the Nov. 15 agenda so the board could move ahead with the decision if they agree on a firm.
Panos has several options: a special meeting could be called with the proposed committee; he could wait until after Tuesday’s election and add a newly elected board member to the panel; or he could choose three board members, new or old, to review the proposals.
McKennan said the proposals suggest the district could have someone hired before her contract ends.
“They believe they can get something done for you in four or five months,” she said. “It really depends on how quickly you get moving. You want to be sure they have ample time to recruit for you … All of them are interested in meeting with you.”
McKennan said she could not release copies of the proposals until the board members had received them.
The five search firms who submitted proposals are: California School Boards Association Executive Search Services; Leadership Associates; Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates, Ltd.; Rudy and Janet Gatti, Board Advisers; and Zampi and Associates.
