Antioch Unified board selects McPherson & Jacobson to run superintendent search and appoints interim superintendent

The Antioch Unified School board voted to pursue a contract with McPherson & Jacobson to conduct the district's superintendent search and, after later closed-session deliberations, appointed Matt Wayne as interim superintendent.

Board members said the firm's emphasis on stakeholder engagement, transparency and retention was decisive. Nicole Anderson of McPherson & Jacobson told trustees the firm delivers a stakeholder report for candidates and helps set post-hire goals: "this is your search; we will tailor it," she said, adding that the firm includes phase-five support to establish performance objectives.

The board heard three firms in a public interview process: Education Leadership Services, Leadership Associates and McPherson & Jacobson. Education Leadership Services highlighted statewide networks and offered mentoring for a new superintendent, saying, "we do one fee '$20,000 to conduct the search and coach and mentor that superintendent for that first year," a presenter, Ron Kth, said. Leadership Associates stressed its partner network and diversity in placements; its presenter said roughly two-thirds of placements are people of color or women.

Trustees pressed each firm on how it would gather local input and verify candidates. McPherson & Jacobson said it uses in-person engagement, online surveys and confidential stakeholder panels, and that it provides an executive summary reflecting community priorities to candidates, which the firm said improves recruiting and fit. Firms described layered reference checks, distinguishing initial formal screening from later, confidential network checks.

After discussion, a trustee moved to select McPherson & Jacobson and the motion was seconded. The board conducted a roll-call vote: Trustees Brown, Kobo Smith, Dr lean, Vice President Roacha and President Hernandez voted yes; the motion passed 5'0'00 and the board directed staff to pursue a contract and return it to the board for formal approval.

Following additional business in closed session, the board reconvened and reported a closed-session vote to appoint Matt Wayne as interim superintendent for Antioch Unified. The board reported the appointment passed 4''1, with Trustees Hernandez, Roacha, Kobo Smith and Brown voting yes and Trustee Dr lean voting no.

What happens next: the board president or designee will negotiate contract terms with McPherson & Jacobson and present the contract for formal approval at a future meeting. The board also will proceed with the interim superintendent appointment made in closed session and reported in open session.

Votes at a glance: McPherson & Jacobson selected to negotiate contract (motion passed by roll call: Brown 'yes; Kobo Smith 'yes; Dr lean 'yes; Vice President Roacha 'yes; President Hernandez 'yes). Interim superintendent appointment: Matt Wayne appointed by closed-session vote reported 4'1 (Hernandez, Roacha, Kobo Smith, Brown yes; Dr lean no).