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Carlsbad board authorizes staff to begin interim superintendent recruitment; trustees favor retired‑superintendent pool
Summary
Following Superintendent Dr. Churchill's announcement that he will depart for Poway Unified, trustees asked staff to begin recruiting an interim superintendent and signaled a preference for contracting a retired superintendent who can serve part time under CalSTRS limits.
Superintendent Dr. Churchill opened an information item about recruiting an interim superintendent and urged the board to focus the interim's role on three mission‑critical areas: onboarding and training newly elected trustees, maintaining stability for staff and families, and supporting ongoing district goals, including the LCAP and capital projects.
Churchill recommended recruiting a CalSTRS retiree to serve part time under earnings limits so the district can secure experienced governance leadership without pulling a current employee into a dual role. Deputy superintendent Megan Arias explained the practical constraint: the CalSTRS earnings cap for retirees limits total earnings in a school year (staff cited a current cap roughly in the $74,000 range) and that schedule and compensation would be part of closed‑session negotiations.
Public commenters urged the board to select an interim who'd be a bridge builder, willing to have difficult conversations, and able to support an inclusive district culture. Scott Davidson urged the board to seek an interim who will "stand up for students and not just employees" and to prioritize academic goals.
Trustees discussed logistics and timelines: several said recruiting a retired superintendent offered the fastest route to an experienced interim who could begin within weeks; others asked whether an open application process should be used so internal candidates or long‑time district leaders could be considered. Trustees raised practical questions — how many days per week the interim would work, whether to hire consecutive short‑term interims or one longer term hire, and how to split internal versus external duties.
By the end of the exchange the board gave staff consensus direction to begin recruitment for an interim superintendent and to prioritize outreach to retired superintendents who might serve part time. Specific contract terms, duration and compensation were reserved for closed session negotiation.
What happens next: Staff will identify potential retired superintendent candidates, consider whether to run an application process or a targeted recruitment, and return to the board with candidates and recommended contract terms; closed session discussions will cover compensation and the duration of any interim contract.
