Following the announcement last week that Superintendent Mike Kuhlman will be leaving the William S. Hart Union High School District after the school year, the governing board on Wednesday is set to discuss how to replace him.
According to the agenda, the board will look at two options: an internal hiring, or expanding the search externally using a third-party search firm.
“Hiring a superintendent search firm for an external search of potential candidates could involve an expenditure exceeding $25,000,” the agenda item reads. “Exploring potential candidates internally first could result in the selection of the next superintendent from existing dedicated and competent employees without the need for an external search.”
Should the board choose to initially look for an internal candidate, the district would ask for current employees to submit letters of interest for the position.
Kuhlman announced his intent to depart on June 30 in an email sent to district staff on Wednesday. In that same email, he announced that he would be taking over as superintendent of the El Dorado Union High School District in Northern California.
On Thursday, board President Linda Storli released a statement on behalf of the board thanking Kuhlman for his 27 years of service to the district, the last four of those coming as superintendent.
“The board extends its sincere gratitude to Mr. Kuhlman for his 27 years of dedicated service to the Hart district,” Storli said in the statement. “As a teacher, site administrator, principal, district official and as superintendent, his strong leadership has guided us through many challenges and achieved significant milestones. We are proud of what we have accomplished together and we are sad to see him go. We wish him and his wife, Cindi, all the best as they embark upon a new journey to serve another community of learners in Northern California.
“The governing board will now be actively engaged in planning a smooth leadership transition,” Storli continued. “We are committed to finding a highly qualified and passionate leader who can build upon and improve the work we’ve started with our strategic plan. We are confident that we will find an exceptional candidate to lead us through the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead … In the coming weeks, the board will share more details about the superintendent search process and the next steps. We value your input and we appreciate your continued trust and partnership in ensuring the success of all Hart district students.”
Wednesday’s governing board meeting is set to begin at 7 p.m. at the Hart district’s administrative office, located at 21380 Centre Pointe Parkway.
