District postpones choosing a firm to search for a new superintendent

The Laguna Beach Unified School District board earlier this week delayed choosing a search firm that will identify candidates for the next superintendent to allow its members more time to evaluate resumes and interview responses.

Trustees questioned five firms for more than three hours of a special public meeting Monday night, probing as much into the search process — such as methods for keeping candidates’ names confidential — as into each firm’s initial impressions of Laguna Beach and characteristics a successful candidate should possess.

Board members appeared ready to deliberate and then select a company, but instead deferred a decision until their regular meeting Monday.

The five firms include: The Cosca Group from Fairfield, Calif.; Dave Long and Associates from Laguna Beach; Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates, from Palo Alto; Leadership Associates from La Quinta; and McPherson and Jacobson, LLC, from Omaha, Neb.

The selected company will identify candidates the board will then interview to replace current Supt. Sherine Smith, who will retire in June after six years with the district. The Cosca Group worked with Laguna Beach Unified during the last superintendent search that resulted in Smith’s hiring.

“I would have liked to [select a company] last night, but it’s not my first rodeo,” board President Ketta Brown said by phone Tuesday.

Brown has been on the board during two prior superintendent searches.

“You can’t push certain people,” she said.

Board members gave first impressions immediately following the last interview, and Hazard was the only firm that made each of the five trustees’ top three. Brown made it clear the board is not recommending the company at this stage.

“They were the only firm that mentioned the kids, that we’re doing this for the students and that resonated with me,” said Brown, speaking for herself and not the entire board. “They were the most genuine in their answers and I really liked their [methods] of background checking, how they look into social media stuff.”

Successful superintendents, Farley said, have “technical experience to do the work coupled with interpersonal strength. They are confident, likable, and know how to support a board in the best interest of kids and learning.”

Board members asked firms whether they favored larger interview panels that included stakeholder groups. More than one company cautioned against the method for fear candidates’ names could leak out during informal conversations.

Resumes of all five firms are available on the district’s website at lbusd.org.