Palo Alto Unified Begins Superintendent Search Process

The following is a news release from the Palo Alto Unified School District: 

The PAUSD Board of Education has begun the search process to select a new district superintendent and has agreed to the following search firm selection and process steps after discussion at their February 25 regular meeting, and looks forward to active community participation:  

• February 26, 2014: Board President requests proposals from 3-5 search firms 
• March 5, 2014: Search firm proposal deadline and completion of reference checks March 10, 2014 Search firm candidate presentations (3) and consultant selection: Special Board meeting (9:00 a.m., 25 Churchill-Room A) 
• March 17-28, 2014: Focus Groups and Community Input Forums (TBA) 
• March 25, 2014: Search Process update: Regular Board Meeting (6:30 p.m., 25 Churchill)  

The Board’s objective is to hire a search firm on March 10, 2014, to help solicit extensive community input from PAUSD students, staff, parents, and community members for use in recruiting and selecting a final candidate by late April or early May with the goal of having the District’s next superintendent in place by July 1, 2014.  

Following the Board’s selection of a consultant, the search process timeline and schedule of community input forums will be finalized and widely publicized. In the successful 2007 superintendent search process, over 650 stakeholder inputs were provided to the Board regarding personal and professional qualities and values desired in the future superintendent. In the coming weeks, specific information on how to provide individual input, and when open community input forums will be held, will be provided via press releases, email messages to parents and staff, and postings on the district’s Superintendent Search page.  

Community members are invited to attend a special Board meeting on Monday, March 10, 2014, at 9:00 a.m., in which three search firm candidates will be interviewed: Leadership Associates at 9:15 a.m.; Ray and Associates at 10:30 a.m.; and Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates at 11:45 a.m. While the meeting will not be televised, public input is invited in advance at searchfirm@pausd.org, and will be invited following the presentations, at approximately 12:45 p.m.

For additional information, please contact Kathleen Ruegsegger at (650) 329-3737 or kruegsegger@pausd.org.