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Laguna Beach Unified School District sets search timeline, seeks broad community input
Summary
Board consultants outlined a superintendent search timeline that includes stakeholder input the week of March 17, an online survey in mid-March, an April 4 application deadline and candidate interviews in May; public commenters pressed the board to focus on governance and transparency.
The Laguna Beach Unified School District board met March 6 to solicit feedback on qualities the district should seek in its next superintendent and to agree on a recruitment timeline. Consultants from Leadership Associates described a multi-step process that includes stakeholder meetings, an online survey and a confidential applicant review portal.
The board adopted the meeting agenda at the start of the session (vote recorded in the public remarks as 5-0). Dr. Peggy Lynch, a consultant leading the search work, told the board the firm plans to launch the online survey around March 12, hold input sessions the week of March 17 and close applications on April 4, after which the consultants will perform reference checks and prepare candidate materials for board review.
"We'll take all of that information and come up with what we call a position description," Lynch said, describing how survey results and group feedback will shape the qualifications the district posts. She said the firm will produce an executive summary of responses and that the firm can translate the survey into Spanish and other commonly used languages in the community.
Board members discussed logistics for candidate review and interviews, including whether to schedule a closed-session candidate-selection meeting on April 26 or to plan a full-day interview session on May 10. Lynch emphasized confidentiality around applicant names and recommended using a secure portal so absent board members could review candidate materials without public disclosure.
Several community members used the public-comment period to press the board on process and tone. Kimberly Smith, who identified herself as a parent and an experienced board director, supported governance training and urged the board to prioritize hiring a superintendent while "trusting staff" to keep day-to-day operations running. Leslie Elliott, a longtime resident, criticized the scheduling of a recent special curriculum meeting on short notice that left two board members unable to attend and said the board ought to "speak as one" on governance matters.
Lynch walked the board through outreach plans for stakeholder groups including teachers, classified and confidential staff, PTA representatives, student groups, foundations and community partners. Consultants said typical postings include statewide administrator outlets (example: EdCal), district web pages and partner newsletters, and noted targeted email blasts can reach networks of superintendents and potential applicants.
Consultants also advised the board to prepare contract parameters in advance (salary range, benefits, relocation or onboarding support) so the board and counsel can negotiate efficiently when a finalist is selected. Under the draft schedule presented at the meeting, the board could approve a finalist at a regularly scheduled meeting in early June, after site visits or reference work.
The meeting closed with a motion to reconvene in closed session to continue confidential search work; the public transcript records the motion but does not include a final public tally for that vote.
