The Saugus Union School District’s new superintendent is anticipated to be appointed next week, assuming there’s a majority vote by the governing board during Tuesday’s closed session meeting.
If a new CEO is voted in, the district is scheduled to host a set of community chats later that week, open to the public, to allow community members to meet the district’s new leader.
The governing board has not taken a vote on the item and is expected to do so during closed session of Tuesday’s meeting, board President Matthew Watson said on Thursday. The board will take a vote on the superintendent contract during open session that same day, he added.
If the board has a majority vote on the item, the superintendent, who is set to begin on July 1, will be formally introduced to the community during two community chats scheduled for April 23.
The first meeting will be held in the district office board room at 10 a.m. and the second is scheduled to take place in the West Creek Academy’s multipurpose room at 6:30 p.m., according to a district news release on the matter. It is open to the public.
This will allow the person to be formally introduced and share the future vision they have for the Saugus district, Watson said.
Current Superintendent Colleen Hawkins announced her retirement following eight years with the district in November through a letter shared electronically.
In January, the governing board selected Education Support Services Group as the search firm that would find external candidates to fill Hawkins’ role effective July 1.
The search was to include a package of search activities including the engagement phase, activation phase, and selection phase, for a cost not exceeding $27,300. ESS will also assist in facilitating a transition phase with the board and new superintendent.
To get insight from the public, ESS held a series of online and in-person meetings aimed to document stakeholder feedback to help assist with the leadership profile for candidates to view. Those sessions were held at Bridgeport Elementary School and via Zoom.
Over 550 people altogether provided insight to ESS, through an online survey, focus groups, individual interviews, emails and the community forums. The highest level of participation with the survey came from parents/guardians, and certificated staff as the second largest.
The district office is located at 24930 Avenue Stanford, Valencia. West Creek Academy is located at 28767 N. West Hills Drive, Valencia, and attendees are asked to enter through the back of the school.
