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Board approves assistant superintendent contract; superintendent to separate HR role after retirement
Summary
The board approved a multi-year contract to appoint Director Mulvaney as assistant superintendent while district plans a separate HR director search following John O'Neil's announced retirement.
The Forest Grove School District board approved an assistant superintendent contract on Jan. 28 that names the district's director of teaching and learning (referred to in the meeting as Director Mulvaney) to the cabinet-level role.
Superintendent Dr. West explained the move followed the announced retirement of the district's current assistant superintendent and HR director, John O'Neil, at the end of the school year. Dr. West said the HR role needs to be separate from the assistant superintendent function but that hiring a new, stand-alone cabinet-level HR director is not fiscally responsible during the current budget period. As an interim step, Dr. West proposed appointing Director Mulvaney to serve as assistant superintendent so the district can run a full search for a dedicated HR director later.
The board moved and seconded the contract; the motion carried. During the vote one board member voiced hesitation about making a leadership change during a period of academic recovery, noting concerns about altering momentum while reading scores are being addressed. The board recorded the motion as approved; the transcript does not include a line-by-line roll-call tally.
Dr. West thanked outgoing HR director John O'Neil for his service; the superintendent called O'Neil "a tremendous asset" during Dr. West's first seven months. Dr. West said final details on the HR director search will follow and that the appointment allows the district to sequence recruitment work for human resources while maintaining cabinet continuity.
The contract presented covers the 2025'28 period (as described in the packet); the board directed staff to proceed with subsequent HR recruitment steps once the assistant superintendent appointment is finalized.
