Sonoma school board interviews six superintendent hopefuls

School board culled 30 applications for superintendent down to six|

Six candidates were scheduled to be interviewed Thursday for the superintendent’s position at the Sonoma Valley Unified School District.

The school board set 50-minute sessions with each of the six with additional 50-minute sessions the same day with the top two.

The district, through its search firm, Leadership Associates, received 33 applications to replace Louann Carlomagno who resigned last June. But three candidates had already landed positions before the interviews.

The interviews, which were originally scheduled for March 31, were moved up when the board decided it needed to move faster before more candidates found other jobs.

“The original interview date of March 31 was three weeks after the paper screening (March 7) and that seemed like a large (unnecessary) gap, plus the concern that the best applicants might get scooped up before we had a chance to meet them,” said board President Britta Johnson.

Johnson said all of the candidates would get the same 12 questions in the first round and that the meetings with the two finalists would be more conversational than question-and-answer.

If the board identifies a finalist, that person would return for another 30-minute conversation.

The search firm vetted the candidates, contacting and verifying the references, but also checked an additional five sources not on the applications, Johnson said.

“Our consultants gave more details on the eight candidates they brought forward,” Johnson said. “Once we selected our six during the paper screening, they gave the board a draft list of interview questions to consider and modify. These original questions were derived from what they learned through the community input sessions.”

Both the Valley of the Moon Teachers Association, the teachers’ union, and the California School employees Association, the classified union, were also given an opportunity to submit questions.

“We received additional input from some community members and shared that with the board and Leadership Associates,” Johnson said. “Board members made adjustments and additions to the draft questions given our in-depth knowledge of the district.”

After a finalist is selected, the board will make a site visit to the finalist’s district to chat with school administrators, principals, teachers and other community members.

“This is to validate what we have heard in the interviews and saw on paper,” Johnson said. “It’s like an in-person reference check.”

If all goes according to plan, the board would make a contract offer at its April 17 meeting.

“While the board is eager to hire a new superintendent, we have agreed that if we don’t find a candidate we have full confidence in, we’ll continue the search,” she said.

The search will cost the district $21,500.

Email Bill at bill.hoban@sonomanews.com.

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