Sunnyvale board approves contract with Leadership Associates to run superintendent search

The Sunnyvale Board of Trustees approved a superintendent-search services agreement with Leadership Associates after a trustee moved to approve and another seconded the motion. The Chair called the vote and announced the motion passed; the board then invited Leadership Associates consultants to lead a planning discussion about timelines, stakeholder outreach, and candidate characteristics.

Leadership Associates representatives said the district would use an online survey and focus groups to gather community input. The consultants proposed an online survey window (March 17–26 with an alternate March 10–21 window), focus-group dates around March 18–20, and candidate-interview dates in May (proposed May 12–13, replacing May 17–18). Consultants recommended the board designate a small liaison group for rapid logistical decisions but assured the board that full materials and candidate packets would be provided to every trustee for candidate review. The board agreed to a tentative calendar that would aim to finalize negotiations and a contract with a selected finalist in time for a regular board meeting in early June (target June 4) where appointment would be considered.

Consultants emphasized confidentiality for focus-group participants and that survey responses would be anonymized in executive summaries. Trustees contributed a long list of desired characteristics for the next superintendent — including instructional leadership, equity commitment, approachability, and experience in California schools — that consultants said they would incorporate into the position description used in recruitment.