The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees on Wednesday took the first step toward selecting a new superintendent, agreeing to hold a special meeting Nov. 9 or 10 to discuss how the search will proceed.
The board approved the plan 6-0-1, with Trustee Gabriel Medina abstaining after his motion to include a citizens’ oversight committee in the selection process failed for lack of a second.
The search comes as Superintendent Heather Contreras prepares to leave the district next year to lead San Luis Coastal Unified School District, where she is expected to begin July 1.
Board President Carol Turley emphasized that trustees were not approving a search process Wednesday, but rather setting a date to hear presentations from executive search firms and consider their options.
Turley said she had circulated a possible outline of the process to current board members and candidates running in the November election.
The discussion drew numerous speakers who urged trustees to prioritize local candidates, include employees and parents in the selection process and avoid spending heavily on outside consultants.
Bill Eilfort suggested delaying the process until December, when newly elected trustees will be seated.
California School Employees Association President Ashley Yoro said classified employees want a voice in selecting the district’s next leader.
“A lot of our members have very insightful opinions, and I would like to bring their voice to the table when we have that discussion,” she said.
Emily Halbig, a negotiator for the Pajaro Valley Federation of Teachers, urged trustees to consider administrators who already know the district, including those who have left for leadership positions elsewhere.
“We do not need to assume that the best candidate is someone recruited from another part of the state who has to learn our community from scratch,” she said. “We need someone who understands our students, respects our educators, and is committed to this district for the long haul.”
Halbig also said both unions should have representatives participating in interviews.
Bobby Marchessault, a music and theater arts teacher at Watsonville Charter School of the Arts, agreed that local talent should receive priority. He also suggested including incoming trustees in the November discussions to help ensure a smooth transition.
Lourdes Barraza questioned the need to hire another consultant, saying the district should instead establish a committee of parents, teachers, students and classified employees.
“Consultants do not know us,” she said. “I do not understand why we cannot have a community committee that has parents, teachers, classified staff, people who know the district and know what we want.”
Barraza also said fluency in Spanish should be a priority, noting that community members had requested a bilingual superintendent during the previous search.
Meilin Obinata, a candidate for the Trustee Area 1 seat, called for transparency and suggested releasing a draft of the selection process for public review.
“I would love to hear their voices be centered in this process,” she said, referring to district employees, parents and community volunteers.
Turley said she would contact executive search firms about their availability and ask the district to reserve meeting space for Nov. 9 and 10.
The board has not yet selected a search firm or established a timeline for hiring Contreras’ successor.
