School Board Objects to Local Newspaper Reporting of Superintendent Search
The following letter was received by PCA on February 9, 2015.
As trustees of PUSD, we appreciate the role of the local press as an independent reporter on our work and that of the district. Checks and balances are necessary. But today we are frustrated that a great deal of information about our superintendent search process, printed in the local press, has been inaccurate.
Over the last few months, the search process for a new superintendent has been characterized as “rushed”, “busted”, signaling “a new breach in public trust” complete with “conflict of interest”, “failure of disclosure” and having “fallen short of promoting community engagement”. This vitriol is damaging to the process and misleading to the community.
Immediately following Superintendent Hubbard’s retirement announcement, the board identified key school and community leaders—Paul Benoit, Carol Cramer, Ray Gadbois, Katie Korotzer—to join school board members Doug Ireland and Sarah Pearson on a sub-committee to select an executive search firm. We learned there is a unique recruiting “season”. It was in the community’s best interests to start ahead of the annual rush of other competing districts also seeking new leadership.
Feedback from our community about the characteristics and abilities important in a new superintendent emerged when national search firm, HYA & Associates, spent four days in over 40 separate meetings with 146 stakeholders. The number of respondents to the online survey was 482. More at www.http://www.piedmont.k12.ca.us/blog/2015/01/27/superintendent-search-by-the-numbers/.
At the February 11 board meeting, our consultants will present the Leadership Profile Report based on the input from community meetings and the online survey. We will hear, for the first time, the names of qualified candidates at the February 24 special board meeting.
Because we take our charge to find the best superintendent for our school district extremely seriously, we can no longer stand silent while the local newspaper maligns the process. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts. This inference and innuendo of impropriety is damaging and reflects poorly on our community.
Andrea Swenson, President
Sarah Pearson, Vice President
Doug Ireland, Board Member
Rick Raushenbush, Board Member
Amal Smith, Board Member
Piedmont Board of Education
