SIMI VALLEY : Firm Sought to Lead School Chief Search

Officials of the Simi Valley Unified School District will conduct interviews tonight in hopes of hiring a consultant to help them replace their departing superintendent.

Eight consulting firms contacted the school district after word surfaced last week that Supt. John Duncan will leave in mid-September to become chief administrator of a Northern California district, a job paying $98,900 a year.

Board members will conduct closed-door interviews with four of the firms from 7 to 9 tonight at district headquarters, with the option of hiring a company on the spot, Duncan said.

School officials could not estimate what they would pay for the service, which will include reference checks, prescreening and advertising.

“I suppose we’ll have to pay a pretty penny, but it will be less than if we had to gear up our personnel department,” said board President Helen Beebe. “Our personnel department just isn’t prepared to handle this.”

Beebe estimates the job opening will attract 150 applicants.

“It’s a good, solid district. John is well respected, and I think people would like to work where he has worked,” she said. “We’ll be looking for an educational leader, somebody who knows about finance and can work with the Legislature.”

Officials want to hire a superintendent by the opening of school in early September.

“It used to take three to four months to find a superintendent,” Duncan said. “But there is such turnover in California that people are being solicited who wouldn’t otherwise be considered for this job. We’re going to get a consultant who will solicit people to apply.”

Duncan said Monday that he will submit his letter of resignation, effective Sept. 16, to the board tonight. He has said he is leaving the largest school district in Ventura County for a $2,000-a-year raise and so he can live closer to his children.