Saratoga News

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Process for finding superintendent begins with search firm meetings

By Michele Leung

Finals have come and gone, but that doesn't mean the high school district is shutting down for the summer. Consultants will be working behind the scenes to find someone to fill the seat vacated by Superintendent Cindy Ranii.

The Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District board of trustees will work with Leadership Associates, a search firm that will be responsible for finding candidates. The firm has done more than 100 similar searches for other districts, according to the board. The Los Gatos-Saratoga district began looking for a new superintendent after Ranii announced she will retire at the end of the 2006-07 school year for health reasons.

The communities of Los Gatos and Saratoga, along with staff members, are invited to meet the two consultants responsible for finding candidates on June 26 and 28 at the high school campuses.

"Leadership Associates will assist in developing a profile for the district's next superintendent from the input provided by staff, parents, students, the larger community and the board," said Phil Nielsen, trustee president, in a letter to residents in the district.

Jim Brown, one of the consultants working with the district, was a former superintendent in Palo Alto. He will hold meetings June 26 at Saratoga High School. Students can meet him in the cafeteria from 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. An open community forum will be held at the Saratoga library from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

His partner, Jake Abbott, has a similar schedule June 28 at Los Gatos High School. Students can drop by the library from 10:30 to 11:15 a.m., and the community can join him in the library in an open forum from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Nielsen said those who want to give their input will be asked to consider the characteristics and qualities they'd like to see in a superintendent and what challenges they think the district is facing.

Also in June, the board will form an advisory committee that will help trustees make their decision. The committee will go on site visits to the candidates' campuses, interview candidates and give its recommendations to the board.

The consultants will begin recruiting in July. Interviewing will begin in August.

Until a replacement is hired, Ranii will continue as superintendent. She will also serve as an adviser to the new administrator to help during the transition.

Those who cannot attend the meetings can email their thoughts to either Brown at trailrunner26@verizon.net or Abbott at jabbott@astound.net. To contact Nielsen, email him at pbnielsen@aol.com.