Board hires Leadership Associates to run Redwood City superintendent search

The Redwood City School District Board of Trustees voted Sept. 10 to hire Leadership Associates to manage the district's superintendent search, following presentations from three finalist firms.

Leadership Associates representatives Jackie Horsch and Eric Andrew told trustees the firm offers a California-centered search model, an electronic portal with full candidate packets, disaggregated bilingual survey reporting and partner oversight during screening and interviews. "We don't bring a canned presentation," Horsch said, adding the firm provides weekly updates and participates in final interviews.

Trustees raised questions about candidate vetting and longevity in the role. Horsch said Leadership Associates conducts prescreening interviews, deep reference checks and shares concerns about a candidate's "good, the bad, and the ugly" with the board. "We give you the good, the bad, and the ugly," she said. Eric Andrew emphasized the firm's California focus and partner involvement in every search.

After discussion, Trustee David Lee moved to approve Leadership Associates; Trustee Jen seconded. The board voted in favor.

Why it matters: The firm will drive community engagement, build a leadership profile and recruit candidates during a compressed timeline aimed at presenting finalists in late fall and appointing a superintendent in January. Trustees said they expect a process that protects confidentiality while gathering broad input and producing measurable indicators the board can use to evaluate candidates.

Next steps: Trustees asked for regular updates via the district liaison and for the board to adopt a governance calendar tying district priorities to the search timeline.