Board to Launch Search for New Superintendent

By Lookout Staff

March 22 -- The School District has invited the public into the loop as it kicks off its search for a new Superintendent Wednesday night by picking a headhunter for the top job.

A special meeting of the board will begin at 5 p.m. when top contenders among a slate of search firms will be identified. Presentations by their representatives will follow and school officials will explain the process for selecting the new head of Santa Monica’s schools, district officials said.

The public will be able to speak out before the board goes into closed session. The board’s final choice will be announced either after closed session Wednesday night, or at Thursday night’s regular board meeting.

Three firms are named in the agenda: R. J. Gatti Associates, Leadership Associates, and Hazard Young Attea and Associates.

The first two are based in California; Hazard Young Attea and Associates is based in Illinois and currently posts open superintendent positions across the nation.

Each firm gets 45 minutes to make its case before the board.

Outgoing Superintendent John E. Deasy plans to start his new job as Superintendent of Prince George’s County near Washington, D.C. on May 1.

Michael Matthews is acting as interim superintendent in the meantime and has been identified as a likely contender for the head job by supporters in Malibu, where he was high school principal before taking a job at the district office.

Wednesday’s meeting will begin at 5 p.m. on March 22 in the board room at the district offices at 1651 16th Street.

Thursday evening’s regular board meeting will begin at 4 p.m., an hour earlier than usual, in the Malibu City Council Chambers at 23815 Stuart Ranch Road.