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Superintendent outlines hiring practices as board discusses nepotism and diversity; HR assistant resigns
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Vespignani described steps taken to standardize hiring and recruit diverse candidates after public comment raised nepotism and diversity concerns; the district will consider consolidating two administrative positions into a single human resources/office manager role and expects to recommend a candidate in June.
The superintendent addressed public concerns about nepotism and staff diversity at the May 14 meeting and outlined recent personnel changes and hiring-process reforms. Dr. Mark Vespignani confirmed that Jonathan Depssey, the confidential human resources assistant, has resigned to take a business-administrator position elsewhere and that the superintendent recommended consolidating Depssey’s role and a retiring administrative assistant position into a single human resources/office manager role pending board approval.
Vespignani said the consolidation is intended to streamline operations and that, if approved, the district will run an objective recruitment process open to internal and external candidates with multiple interview rounds and performance tasks. He said he hopes to bring a recommendation to the board by the June 18 meeting.
Public comment at the meeting raised long-standing concerns about hiring relatives and the racial and linguistic diversity of staff. A former board member and other citizens asked whether the district is doing enough to recruit bilingual and culturally responsive staff to reflect a growing Hispanic student population.
Vespignani said he has implemented new recruiting measures since his arrival: the district’s employment web page now invites applicants from diverse backgrounds; the district uses Frontline and has added three district‑specific screening questions (including an item asking for examples of recognizing and celebrating diversity); the district is attending college and career fairs and pursuing student‑teacher relationships as a homegrown recruiting pipeline. He said these steps previously increased staff diversity by 13% in a former district and that similar strategies are in motion locally.
Dr. Vespignani provided district demographic figures for 2023–24: White students 7.9%; Hispanic 67%; Black or African American 5.1%; Asian 7.6%; two or more races 1.8%. He also noted state confirmation of the district’s HIB (harassment, intimidation and bullying) report and grades for 2023–24 as required by the commissioner of education.
Board members and the superintendent emphasized that the district’s current process requires administrators to document candidates’ qualifications and any familial relationships up front. President Martinez said the board does not perform interviews or hiring directly and that administrators disclose known familial relationships during the hiring process.
The board approved routine personnel agenda items later in the meeting by roll call; the consolidation of the two administrative positions remains a superintendent recommendation pending the board’s formal vote when it appears on the personnel agenda.
