Peers Praise Simi’s New Superintendent

SIMI VALLEY —  If anyone can restore stability to the office of schools superintendent, that person is newly hired Joyce C. Mahdesian, her colleagues say.

Mahdesian, who began her career here as a teacher 28 years ago, was hired Thursday night to head Simi Valley’s nearly 20,000-student school district. She will be the seventh person to hold the superintendent’s job since 1990.

“I really do hope the board understands what a treasure they’re getting,” said Carol Myers, president of the board of education in Livermore, where Mahdesian has served as superintendent since 1989. “If they can’t make it work with her, then they’re in trouble.”

Mahdesian, who was hired on a 3-2 vote, will begin her new job Oct. 1 at an annual salary of $140,000, making her the highest-paid superintendent in the county.

Building a strong relationship with trustees and the community is her top priority, Mahdesian said in an interview Friday.

The board’s vote made Mahdesian the third permanent superintendent in a row to be hired on a split vote. The board forced out the previous two only months into the position.

“I don’t think I would have accepted the challenge if I didn’t feel I could break through the trend,” Mahdesian said.

Trustees voting for Mahdesian, who will replace interim superintendent Kenneth Moffett, say this time is different.

“Her strengths are her leadership, vision and collaboration,” said Janice DiFatta, president of the Simi Valley board of education. “And collaboration’s the key word.”

DiFatta said she is confident Mahdesian can build a strong relationship with the board.

Mahdesian said she has been able to overcome difficult situations with school boards before.

“I think it’s hard work and honesty and integrity, moving forth on a path that’s directed by the board,” she said in explaining her style of leadership.

Colleagues from the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District say Mahdesian should have no problem with her new job.

“Joy is seen as one of the strongest superintendents, male or female, that there is,” said Bob Bronzan, Livermore’s assistant superintendent. “Her strength is in dealing with crisis situations.”

During her tenure in Livermore, the recession of the early 1990s forced the district to cut $7 million from its budget. Despite such challenges, she still worked to equip all classrooms in the district with computer networks.

Livermore has also been included on Money magazine’s list of top 100 school districts in affordable communities.

The three Simi Valley trustees who voted for Mahdesian visited Livermore earlier this week to meet with school officials. They liked what they saw.

“At one point in interviewing all those people, I said to Joy, ‘I’m really getting tired of hearing all these great things about you,”’ trustee Carla Kurachisaid.

Leaving a district where she is adored for one where she will have to prove herself to at least two trustees who voted against her may be tough for Mahdesian.

“It’s very difficult for a superintendent to come in on a 5-0, but on a 3-2 it’s that much more difficult. She’s got work to do,” said Harold Lipman, a member of the district’s personnel commission who knew Mahdesian when she taught in Simi Valley.

Although he thinks Mahdesian is up to the task, Lipman and other spectators were disappointed with the split vote. Trustees Norman Walker and Caesar Julian voted against hiring Mahdesian at Thursday’s meeting.

Julian said Friday that his vote against her was not because he doesn’t like her.

“I voted against the process,” said Julian, who was distressed that only two of the three selected finalists were interviewed.

Julian said he didn’t have enough information to make an informed decision. But he said he plans to work closely with Mahdesian for the good of the district.

Walker could not be reached for comment Friday. But he said Thursday that he thought the new superintendent was returning to Simi Valley to develop a good retirement package.

“I think that is an enormous attack on this person’s integrity,” DiFatta said Friday in dismissing Walker’s comments. “There’s nothing that we’ve seen that that is her intention.”

Local parent advocate Coleen Ary, who participated in a committee designed to advise the board on selecting a new superintendent, fears the new superintendent won’t listen to parents.

“She believes that educators are the authorities and I’m worried that she may not value parental input,” said Ary, who sits on the board of directors for Parents Involved in Education, a nonprofit advocacy group. Ary also criticized Mahdesian’s salary.

But Kurachi said a top salary was needed to lure a top candidate.

“She’s going to be the highest paid in Ventura County, no doubt about it,” she said. “But what she can bring to our district far exceeds what we’re paying her for.”

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Past Superintendents

Since the departure in December 1990 of Supt. John Duncan, who left the position after 16 1/2 years for a new job, the Simi Valley Unified School District has had six full-time or interim superintendents. They are:

Robert Purvis--December 1990 to June 1993, retired.

Mary Beth Wolford--July 1993 to June 1996, left six months earlier than planned, citing difficulty with board members.

Robert Purvis--July to December 1996, returned as interim superintendent.

Tate Parker--January to June 1997; after being placed on administrative leave, he received $81,000 in a firing agreement.

Albert “Bud” Marley--July to October 1997, came out of retirement to work as interim superintendent.

Dan Flynn--October 1997 to February 1998, resigned under pressure from the board, which agreed to pay his $8,000 monthly salary for another four months.

Ken Moffett--March 1998 to present, interim superintendent.