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Teachers and parents urge Lockwood board to appoint interim superintendent, warn of legal and staffing fallout
Summary
Multiple teachers, staff and community members urged the Lockwood School District board to appoint an interim superintendent for one year rather than rush a permanent hire; commenters also accused prior leadership of procedural breakdowns in recent nonrenewals and called for transparency on related county-level complaints.
An extended round of public comments at the Lockwood School District Board of Trustees meeting focused on the district's leadership transition and alleged procedural failures in recent personnel actions. Several teachers and staff urged trustees to appoint an interim superintendent from inside the district to provide continuity while the board conducts a careful search for a permanent leader.
One experienced teacher, speaking during the public-comment period, said the board risks "getting the leftovers" if it tries to hire a permanent superintendent late in the season and recommended offering an internal interim for one year so the trustees would have more time to evaluate permanent candidates. The commenter described the practical recruitment calendar and said a four‑year contract given to a late hire can be difficult to unwind if the match fails.
Multiple written comments read into the record echoed that view. A letter from the fourth‑grade team, signed "Ashley Williams," asked the board to "promptly appoint an interim superintendent" to ensure operational stability and allow a thorough, unhurried search for a long‑term leader.
Other public remarks raised sharper allegations about past leadership. Sloan Larson, speaking during public comment, alleged that "for years, the administration and former board leadership operated without proper regard for policies, procedures, and state law," and said that failures related to teacher nonrenewals and an expulsion had produced legal costs and staffing disruption. The commenter urged the board to post county‑superintendent correspondence and to address outstanding complaints publicly.
Board leadership and staff repeatedly said some matters are under legal review and declined to comment on the specifics of the nonrenewals. A board officer said the superintendent search is "in conversations" and that the board is working with legal counsel; the meeting record shows trustees deferred further comment while legal review continues.
The board took no new, formal personnel action during the public‑comment period; trustees did vote later in the meeting to approve a series of consent items and district contracts (see related coverage). The most recent procedural step on the superintendent search is a scheduled public meeting of the superintendent search committee on Monday the 15th at 2:30 p.m., which the board confirmed during its governance reports.
