School board elects president, seeks superintendent

At the meeting Tuesday of the Sonoma Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees, new officers were elected: Board President Camerino Hawing, Vice President Sandra Lowe, and Clerk Dan Gustafson.
Superintendent Barbara Young thanked Nicole Abaté Ducarroz for her service as president, saying, “You were really present, and I know you have great passion for what is best for students.” She presented a small gift, Alice Waters’ The Art of Simple Food, in recognition of Nicole’s fondness for snacks.
Two students, Freddie Anguiano and Ana De la Cruz, were honored as students of the year from Altimira Middle School.
The staff reports noted several mentions of recent gang activities: The Superintendent mentioned that in light of recent activities, every organization in town is working together to find opportunities for our youth other than gangs. She also recognized the recent visit of State Assemblyman Jared Huffman. She said he’d seemed very impressed and enthusiastic. “He said if we need his help, to contact him.”
The first action item for the board was to accept the resignation of Superintendent Young. With an effort at restraining emotion, Young addressed the Board, offering her resignation and her praise. “You are the best of boards,” she said. “More than anything, I’ve appreciated that you’ve worked so effectively as a team. I really feel it’s been such a privilege. I feel like everything here is just a gift that I’ve worked with.” She acknowledged the parents, teachers and administrators in the audience, saying it’s really about what happens in the classroom, and the Board just tries to help.
When she concluded, the board put the resignation up for a vote. For a long time, nobody wanted to second it. Trustees praised her, calling her a “stellar person,” and expressing profound respect for what she has done. Ducarroz, handing her a massive orchid plant, thanked her, saying, “She has led us to become a strong group of leaders.”
Two superintendent search firms, Leadership Associates and California School Boards Association, Executive Search Services, made presentations.
Leadership Associates partners Jim Brown and Larry Aceves described their company as nine former superintendents, all of whom are involved in any given search. They alternated describing the careful way in which they work, and Aceves drew a laugh when he assured the Board that should they place a Superintendent, they’ll never come back. They’d commit to never recruiting someone they’d placed.
Parent Barbara Clementino expressed concern to both firms that the process might yield a mediocre candidate, and asked what they would do if a fitting candidate did not appear. Brown said that their track record is the best recommendation they have. If, he said, in the interview process it becomes apparent they don’t have the right match, it is their job to work until they find the right match. Aceves invited the Board to call any of the clients they’ve served. “You’ll see when we bring the background checks and reference checks in that you’ll be very comfortable.” He said that the five members of the Board had to approve the candidate.
Executive Search Services Barry Reed, who described himself as a “recovering superintendent,” said that they present candidates but don’t recommend a candidate, as it’s the Board’s decision. When Clementino asked the same question to Reed, he said, “Well, we hope that doesn’t happen, but if it did, you would never take second choice. If necessary, delay the process, but I have to tell you, you want the very best person that fits this job, this community.”
Discussion among trustees centered around which firm would give them a personal feel, and a sense of confidence that they would find the absolutely right candidate for this district. Both firms were judged competent, but sentiment leaned toward Leadership and that firm was voted in. Their fee will be $21,500 inclusive.