Few show for search meeting
In an effort to gather public input for the interim superintendent search, school district officials hosted a series of community workshops on Thursday, the meetings surprisingly poorly attended considering the hype surrounding outgoing leader Dianne Talarico.
Roughly 12 people attended the afternoon and early evening meetings held at Santa Monica High School, only seven of whom offered their opinions on the qualifications in which they believe the interim leader should possess. The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District announced the workshops, which were held concurrently at Malibu and Santa Monica high schools, on Monday, just days after the Board of Education hired Leadership Associates to head the search.
At the two meetings in Malibu just 10 people showed up.
“Those who did show up gave us some insight into the qualifications needed for a superintendent.”
Talarico, who has served as superintendent for nearly two years, will oversee the Burlingame School District in Northern California starting July 1. School officials have said they would like to secure an interim superintendent by the time Talarico leaves but are open to more time if it means finding the best possible candidate.
The temporary leader will likely serve well after the beginning of the 2008-09 academic year as the search for a permanent replacement is not expected to begin until after the November election. There are four board member seats up for grabs.
School board members said they were surprised by the attendance but that all comments, regardless of the amount, will be taken into consideration.
“I think it was important that we gave the opportunity to the public to come,” Jose Escarce, the school board vice president, said after the second Samohi session. “I had hoped more people would come … but every opinion matters and everyone’s opinion will be listened to.”
Escarce pointed out that several parents provided input at the school board meeting last week when Leadership Associates was hired.
A common theme among those who commented is that the interim superintendent be a healer, helping to guide the district through the aftermath of a number of controversies in the past few years.
“I just think it would great if that person could help people come together,” Santa Monica resident Betsy Hiteshew said.
The opinions ran the gamut.
Sheila Forsander, who was once the PTSA president at John Adams Middle School, said she would like to see a superintendent who thinks outside the box, while Lee Jones, the co-chair of the Special Education District Advisory Committee, said she would like a leader who has the ability to work with different groups of people.
“Even though this is an interim (decision), it is coming at a crucial time,” Jones said in reference to the changes being made in the district, including the special education department.
She added that the superintendent should be an honest individual, a person who demands transparency.
“(We need) someone who clearly is a strong leader and has a track record of showing that,” she said.
Among the participants in the community workshops were teachers, including Sharon Hart, who plays double duty as a teacher and parent of a student at Lincoln Middle School.
Hart stressed that the interim superintendent should pay more attention to the needs of teachers, adding that there has been a lack of communication and professional development.
“I’m a teacher with 17 years in the district and I’m not losing my mojo, but I could certainly use some inspiration,” Hart said.
Jump hedline: Parents want ‘healer’ in superintendent
Suggested pullquote: “Even though this is an interim (decision), it is coming at a crucial time.”
Lee Jones
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 14, 2008. Read the original PDF.