Making the Right Search

School superintendents are on society’s front lines, which is why it’s a tough order to find and keep good ones. Being a top educator is paramount. There are constituencies of parents, teachers and board members to deal with at the local level. Keeping up with the political winds in Sacramento and beyond is part of the job. Expertise in governmental relations and human relations is essential.

There currently are vacancies to be filled in the coastal districts of Laguna Beach, Newport-Mesa and Huntington Beach. There are high expectations in these districts, and the pressure will be on to find someone who is the right fit. That makes it especially important that these districts choose the right selection method and take the necessary time to identify the good candidates wherever they may be, whether close to home, elsewhere in California, or out in the nation.

Laguna Beach is trying to pick up the pieces from the disastrous short tenure of Reed Montgomery, who was fired early last month after failing to show up for work since early December or to provide evidence of an undisclosed illness.

After the firing, the school board had more to say. Members said that the medical absence wasn’t the only reason for the dismissal, and that they believed the new superintendent had failed to complete his duties or provide leadership. Trustee Steven Rabago complained that the board had asked for things to be done that weren’t. Board members did not give specifics because Montgomery plans legal action against them over his dismissal.

Whatever the merits of the case, the seven-month tenure of the superintendent necessarily focuses attention on the selection process, which is now being started up again much sooner than anticipated or desired. Montgomery’s short time on the job was especially problematic because the district was in trouble as it was. It has been in the midst of trying to recover from financial problems and staff turnover that have plagued it since the middle of 1996.

The district is also trying to cope with aging buildings and face the challenges of whether to enroll as many as 342 more students because of the Newport Coast development. Now, without a superintendent at the helm, the district is trying to navigate district boundary changes.

Last time, the district relied on volunteer executive recruiters who won the praise of school officials despite the early termination of Montgomery. This time, the district has hired an executive search firm and hopes to seek candidates throughout California. But clearly, the heat is on to get this job done quickly, with the institution of a tight timetable to find a new chief by the end of March.

That may be too short a period to do the job correctly. The board well might consider doing what Newport-Mesa is doing in its search to replace Mac Bernd, who left last month for a job in Texas. That district has hired a consultant to help begin a broader search across the nation for its selection. Also, the district is assembling a committee of teachers, district employees and parents to interview potential candidates.

Newport-Mesa is probably in for a long search, but its desire to take more time and to really involve a cross-section of the affected community seems well considered.

But as further evidence of the complexity of these decisions, the Newport-Mesa situation turns out to have its own wrinkle. Trustee Edward H. Decker has applied for the post, while he has retained his position on the school board. This has led some parents to ask him to make up his mind whether he wishes to remain on the board or be a candidate for the superintendent’s job.

There is a valid concern that their area, which includes Estancia High School, will have no voice in the search. Decker would have to excuse himself from any board decisions about the new superintendent. He cannot serve two masters, and he needs to make up his mind about what he wants to pursue. If he wants the superintendent’s job, he should resign from the school board and clear the way for a successor to play a free hand in the choice of a superintendent.

Huntington Beach also will be looking for someone after ousting Supt. Ronald G. Bennett last week in what was described as a difference in philosophy. The different experiences of the districts are instructive in how choosing and keeping a good superintendent is no easy task.