With the guidance of Dr. Del Alberti, the selected search advisor from the California School Boards Association (CSBA), small-group interviews and a community forum were held on Dec. 11 to gather input from community and district members concerning the process and procedure.

"I was fully booked," Alberti—a former superintendent himself—said regarding his small-group meetings, adding that a great deal of helpful information was provided. "I heard a lot about the characteristics desired in the candidates—being collaborative, a good listener, honest and trustworthy."

Although only five people attended the forum, Alberti was more than satisfied with the turnout. "When a district is in really good shape, you don't have high turnout at these events," he said. "It's when the room is full that you've got issues."

Cynthia Dodd, a pre-algebra and algebra teacher for Redwood Middle School, kicked off the forum discussion, which began with naming the strengths of the district. She said the support of parents was key to the district's success and the level of commitment students have toward their education. "Our students are extremely aggressive when it comes to learning and getting high grades," Dodd said. "They are outstanding."

Sylvia Hsiang, a parent of two fourth-graders at Foothill Elementary, said she believes a great strength of the district is the "feeling of being connected."

Other strengths included the financial support from the community in the form of the Saratoga Education Foundation, the Parent-Teacher Association and the booster clubs. Attendees also mentioned a sense of democracy that they feel is unique to the district, with parents, teachers and members of the community all feeling they have an important voice.

This same sense of democracy, however, initiated the next discussion concerning challenges facing the new superintendent. "Our democracy can also be a challenge because the parents are so highly involved and everyone has the chance to speak out—everybody knows everybody's business," Dodd said.

Characteristics of the ideal candidate was the third topic discussed, and elicited the most response.

Someone with a sense of humor, patience and listening skills and who would support the culture of the district and be highly visible and accessible were all named as top priorities.

Hsiang mentioned the importance of the new superintendent "saying what they want to do and then doing what they say," as Gardner is known for her straightforward manner and ability to follow through.

A prominent concern for all involved is the limitation on candidates because of the cost of housing in the area. Alberti said that despite very high living costs, "the district will be a magnet for attracting excellent candidates because of its reputation."

Dodd, who was voted to be the teacher representative for Redwood, said she is "relieved" by how the selection process will be conducted; however, she said that selecting a new superintendent will be difficult. "Mary is going to be tough to replace. The workforce, community and parents just love her. She set a precedent—finding someone like her is going to be our biggest challenge."

Kathy Devich, the superintendent's administrative assistant, also feels that it is going to be difficult. "Mary is such a wonderful person and an inspiration," Devich said. "So much goes into this superintendent position." Although Devich is sad to see Gardner go, she does feel "confident in the process" for selecting a replacement. "This process fits our community," she said.

The information gathered at the forum and small-group meetings will be used to create a pamphlet to send out to every school district and major college in the state.

Alberti will present the pamphlet at the Jan. 14 board meeting to be approved for content. Ads will then be posted on the CSBA website and the Saratoga district website and listed in the Association of California Administrators newsletter. The deadline for candidates to apply is March 6.

In order to facilitate candidate selection, a district liaison council has been established to act as an advisory committee during the interviewing process.

The council will have 14 members, selected by the board: four teachers, two administrators, one classified district employee, one confidential district employee, four parents and two community members.

Interviews will be conducted separately by the DLC and board on April 2 and 3, with the selection announced by the end of April. The new superintendent will begin in July, working with Gardner until she leaves in August.