Laguna Beach Unified board appoints Jeff Dixon as acting superintendent after revised motion passes

The Laguna Beach Unified School District board appointed Jeff Dixon as acting superintendent after a revised closed-session motion passed unanimously, following an earlier 3-2 failed motion on a related appointment. The move came after more than 200 public comments urging the board to select Dixon to provide continuity while the district conducts a search for a permanent superintendent.

Parents, teachers and local volunteers packed the public-comment period to press the board for stability. "I think it just makes sense to have him continue on in that role so that we can really put those efforts into finding that permanent superintendent," said April Kaufman, a Thurston teacher and parent, who said she and others had submitted more than 215 comments in support of Dixon. Randy Beckley, a 19-year teacher at Thurston, told the board: "We all support Jeff." Julie Gersten, who said she chairs governance for a large international NGO and is running a CEO search, told the board that "the very most important role of any board anywhere is to hire a CEO," urging the board to select Dixon as interim to preserve operations during the transition.

In a closed-session report, board leadership said the first motion — to appoint Dixon as acting superintendent pending appointment of a full-time superintendent — failed 3 to 2. According to the report, a second motion, framed to appoint Dixon pending the selection of a permanent superintendent and to "provide support during the term of his service as mutually agreed on," passed unanimously. The transcript records the board announcing both tallies but does not provide a full roll-call of how each member voted beyond the counts and a reference to "Joan and Jamie." The transcript does not identify the motion's mover or seconder.

Public commenters repeatedly warned that ongoing public conflict and perceived board dysfunction could discourage candidates from applying. Danielle Rotersheimer, active in PTA and boosters, said the board could use the interim appointment to "set the groundwork in the upward trajectory and make it an attractive place to work." Several speakers also raised concerns about board conduct, including a reference that a board member had publicly criticized the district's communications director at a prior meeting.

One question from the public remained unresolved in the meeting record: April Kaufman asked why there was a public-record request for staff residency made by someone named Sherry and requested follow-up; the transcript records the board saying staff would get back to her but does not include a response.

The meeting reconvened in open session for the report out of closed session and then adjourned. The board did not record additional procedural steps for the superintendent search in the meeting transcript provided.