Friday, August 29, 2008

New Del Mar Union School District Superintendent eager to start, plans to ‘ask a lot of questions’

By Matt Liebowitz

Source: Carmel Valley News, August 28, 2008

In a special meeting Aug. 20, the board of trustees of the Del Mar Union School District unanimously appointed Dr. Sharon McClain as the new district superintendent.

“I think Del Mar is a wonderful community,” said McClain in a telephone interview. “I know they’re very supportive of their schools, and growing quite a bit, which is exciting.”

The superintendent of the Hermosa Beach City School District since 2003, McClain was one of 21 applicants for the Del Mar position, and underwent two rounds of interviews.

“We really like her ability to collaborate with her colleagues, and her ability to work with the entire community,” said board president Annette Easton.

Easton also cited McClain’s background in art, music and Spanish—she earned her undergraduate degree from San Diego State University with a distinction in Spanish and taught vocal music for three and a half years in Escondido—as a valuable attribute to the district.

“That’s very important to our community,” Easton said.

Ken Noonan, a partner with the Cosca Group, the consulting firm hired by the school board for the executive search, said the process of hiring McClain was quick, but very professionally executed.

The search, which began in May, lasted only 13 weeks—“a very short period of time,” said Noonan—to accommodate the board’s desire to announce its new superintendent by the beginning of the school year.

“The board was most cooperative,” said Noonan. “They worked extremely hard on this and I think they made a very good choice.”

McClain brings to Del Mar a long and distinguished track record in education.

Prior to her superintendent position in Hermosa Beach, McClain served for three years as superintendent for the Mesa Union School District, and was assistant superintendent of educational services and human resources with the Ojai Unified School District for three years.

McClain also held adjunct faculty positions at the graduate schools of education of both Pepperdine University’s and UCSD. She earned her doctorate in education from the University of LaVerne.

Leaving Hermosa Beach for Del Mar isn’t a drastic move for McClain, as her San Diego connections run deep.

McClain is originally from the San Diego area, and, along with her mother, two of her six children — and four grandchildren —reside in San Diego.

From 1989 to 1997, McClain worked in the Escondido Union School District under superintendent McLean King, first as a teacher and later as principal of Central School.

“It’s like coming home,” she said.

Though she’s tendered her resignation in Hermosa Beach, McClain won’t officially take office in Del Mar for a few weeks. In the meantime, she will shuttle back and forth between the two cities; she is responsible for finding an interim superintendent as well as filling one principal position in the Hermosa Beach School District.

“The transition period will be a few weeks,” said Easton. “We expect her to be full-time within a month.”

Easton said the particulars of McClain’s contract are still being negotiated, but that her salary falls within the district’s budgeted amount, and will be made public as soon as it’s finalized.

Also keeping her moving back and forth will be her husband, Joe Condon, superintendent of the Lawndale Elementary School District in Los Angeles. Condon will remain at his job, which he’s held for 17 years, but McClain said he’ll move down to San Diego upon retirement.

Stepping into office, one of McClain’s first orders of business will be to address the district’s budget crisis, and to understand, in a non-biased, honest way, the distinct responsibilities and relationships of everyone in the school community.

“My leadership style is very open. I like to engage a lot of people and find out what their opinions are before making any decisions,” McClain said. “I try to meet as many people as I can and understand the issues. The first part of being a brand new superintendent is asking a lot of questions.”

Equity in education is the civil rights issue of today, county school superintendent convinced


Randy Ward
Photo/Jon Clark

Source: Carmel Valley News, August 28, 2008

By Arthur Lightbourn

To say that he was “disappointed” when the Del Mar school board decided to ditch the kindergarten Spanish language pilot program which was slated to begin this fall is definitely an “understatement,’” says San Diego County Superintendent of Schools Randy Ward.

Ward had planned to enter his 5-year-old daughter into the program at Del Mar Heights School but now he and his wife will take turns driving their daughter to attend a global language program miles away in a Lakeside public school where she will be doing total immersion in Spanish with English reading and writing to be added in the second grade and Mandarin in third grade, with the goal of becoming bilingual by the end of grade five and trilingual by graduation from high school.

Why?

Simply because, Ward said, “education is important.”

And when it comes to learning at least a second language, Ward speaks from experience. He grew up in a ghetto in Boston where lots of the guys he hung with were Spanish-speaking.

But it wasn’t until later, in between earning a B.S. in early childhood education from Tufts University and a master’s in school leadership from Harvard, he began studying Spanish to be more effective as a preschool, kindergarten and grade school teacher in Boston and Cambridge.

In 1983, to perfect his Spanish, he taught in the highly dangerous “red zone” drug capital of Medellin, Columbia, and later in Caracas, Venezuela.

It turned out to be immersion in more ways than one.

“When I was down there, it was the time of the Granada incident … the Columbian guerillas didn’t like that at the time and so they came into the school while I was teaching and killed a guard, put a bullet through his head, and kind of made a statement because we were an American teaching school. And the next week, they put a bomb on the first floor and blew up the first floor of the school while it was shut, so we were closed for about a week. Other than that, it was very pleasant.”

We interviewed the 51-year-old Ward at the County Office of Education campus on Linda Vista Road in San Diego from where he oversees budgets, payrolls, back-office and technical support for smaller school districts and administers a variety of support services, including professional development and health plans, for 42 autonomous school districts and 710 schools serving 494,000 students throughout the county.

“The third role we play is we are actually a small school district in and of ourselves.

“While we touch about 13,000 a year,” he pointed out, “because of the mobility of those students, in any one day, there are only 3,000 or so students in our programs. But we take our commitment to those students very seriously.”

Students directly served by the county include those who have been expelled from regular schools, homeless kids, pregnant teens, foster care kids at San Pasqual Academy or those who are incarcerated in Juvenile Halls throughout the county.

“Many of our schools are called ‘community schools’ and are individual classrooms for students who are expelled for one or two semesters.

“We also run a special ed program for preschoolers. And we have a Monarch School, which is a school for the homeless.”

Ward was appointed superintendent two years ago by the county board after he had served for nine years as a trouble-shooting, state-appointed administrator in the Compton Unified School District and most recently in the Oakland Unified School District, both of which were in receivership at the time.

He was credited with reforming instruction, improving students’ test scores and effectively stemming both districts’ financial hemorrhaging.

After we shook hands, the 6-foot, 220-pound Ward got comfortable, removing his jacket revealing his Larry King-type black suspenders, and settling down for a coffee-table discussion of his life and career.

Ward, an African-American, grew up as the middle child in a family of seven children in Boston.

His dad, who had retired from the Army, worked several jobs to support the family. “One of his jobs was custodial supervisor at Massachusetts General Hospital and that’s why I was a custodian there from the time I was 16 until I graduated from college.

“We grew up in a ghetto with crack houses and gangs and drive-bys. Obviously my dad was earning some money with his jobs and retirement from the military, so when we asked him why we had to live in such a neighborhood, he’d say, because we have to save up for your college.”

Ward went on to earn a B.S. from Tufts University in early childhood education; an Ed.M. in school leadership from Harvard University; another master’s in educational administration from the University of Massachusetts; and an Ed.D. in policy, planning and administration from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles.

Now going into his third year as school superintendent for the county he said, “There have been lots of challenges, as you know. Challenges, fiscally, certainly, academically, with the achievement gap, and a lot of work, in not only supporting the county school districts, but making sure the students that we serve get the best education they can get.”

“For example,” he said, “the California High School Exit Exams, back in 2001, the passing rate for the students we serve, which are the toughest students in the county, you know, the expelled kids, the homeless children, the foster kids, the kids in Juvenile Hall, we passed at a 9 percent and 15 percent rate in language arts and math.

“This past year, we passed at almost a 75 percent rate.”

Because of the cuts in state funding, the county board had to cut its budget by about $2.5 million last year and about the same amount this year from its $33 million general fund, he said. Most of the monies the county board administers are either pass-through monies from the state to the various districts or restricted funds.

“We also had to cut 10 percent, about $20 million, from those restricted funds, so we were very much impacted.”

As a result, he said, “We’ve been on efficiency, maximizing services program since I’ve been here.

“So that has helped.”

All of their employees are now on direct deposit “so we don’t have to print checks for them.”

Wherever possible, they have gone paperless and online.

While they would prefer not to be faced with reduced funding from the state, he said, “We’re trying to keep up by becoming more efficient.”

As to his role as superintendent, “While it is a big job, the challenge is to think about it on three levels: What it is. (‘What do you mean I don’t have authority over this and that?’) What it should be. (‘And that’s where I’m at now.’) And what it could be. (‘Where do we all want to go and where we are going?’)

“The levels I’m really moving on are the ‘should’ and ‘could.’”

The ‘should’ part, he said, really has to be about preparing all of our schools, teachers and leaders to best instruct and teach using the best instructional tools to prepare as many children, if not 100 percent, to be ready for college and to be ready to work, both in the work that’s out there now and that will be out there in the future.

It should be efficient, stabilized, even in times of economic fluctuations, and it should be “connected to the real world,” he added.

“The ‘could be’ really has to do with how we can work in a completely synergistic and seamless way so that we could share best practices, use the technology that we need to share best practices instantaneously, and to be able to change and make transitions through the use of data about what’s working and what isn’t working and adjust [accordingly].”

The board, he said, will be drafting a strategic five-year plan this year to identify “where we should be and where we could be and what the measures will be and put that out as a public document to hold ourselves accountable.”

Ward favors the amalgamation of school districts where possible to maximize resources, but he recognizes because of “politics, regional culture and all the rest, it’s much easier said than done.”

He also decries the inequality that exists in resources and teachng between schools and various districts, not only in San Diego, but throughout the state and the country.

“Equity is a major challenge,” he said. “I think quite frankly it is the civil rights issue of today, and that is, equity, quality and access to the best teachers, great facilities, technology—and, yes, it always comes down to the bottom line of money, but it’s not always just about money.

“We’ve got a lot of things built into our infrastructure, like contracts, employee rights, and all these things that unfortunately can produce a very inequitable environment.

“And I get to see it because I go around to all the districts and I see which kids are in AP courses and which ones aren’t, which ones are taking algebra and which ones aren’t, what the facilities look like in one neighborhood versus another in the same district and certainly between districts…

“Some of the equity issues have to do with child advocacy. In the neighborhood where I live, we’re going to make sure we’re going to advocate for our children and they are going to get the best. In some neighborhoods, that doesn’t exist.

“So that means that someone else, including the board and the administration, has to be those child advocates. That happens sometimes, but unfortunately other times it does not. The squeaky wheel.”

In addition to his administrative work, Ward delights in personally meeting students when possible.

He recalls three students in particular at the Juvenile Hall school in Campo.

“They were graduating and they really pressured the folks up there so they could talk to me. They came in and wanted to tell me how appreciative they were that they finally found people who cared about them and how unfortunate it was that they had to commit a crime and serve time to get their high school diplomas.

“And that while they would never say it was good to do what they did, but certainly if they weren’t in that facility with those educators and the people from probation who care about them, they would never have gotten back on the right track in terms of education.”

“I thought that was very powerful,” Ward said.

Quick Facts

Name: Randolph E. “Randy” Ward, Ed. D.

Distinction: A former kindergarten and grade school teacher, who as a state-appointed administrator was credited with salvaging the bankrupt Compton and Oakland Unified School Districts before accepting his current job two years ago as San Diego County Superintendent of Schools.

Resident of: Carmel Valley

Born: Boston, Mass., 51 years ago.

Education: B.S. from Tufts University in early childhood education; an Ed.M. in school leadership from Harvard University; another master’s in educational administration from the University of Massachusetts; and an Ed.D. in policy, planning and administration from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles.

Family: He and his wife, Cheryl, have been married 11 years. They have two children: daughter, Jerne, 5, going into kindergarten; and son, James, 3.

Interests: Landscaping, camping, scuba diving

Reading: “Reading books to my kids.”

Films: “Not a movie-goer. I don’t think I’ve been to the movies in seven years.”

Favorite Food: Pizza

Philosophy: “Make a difference.”

Del Mar Schools Education Foundation moves forward with new members, new business model

Source: Carmel Valley News, August 28, 2008

By Matt Liebowitz

After a few years of controversy and contention, the Del Mar Schools Education Foundation is moving forward with new officers, a new business model, and ideas to keep money pouring into the school district’s enrichment program.

At its Aug. 12 meeting, the Education Foundation elected 10 new members, including Matt Zevin, who will serve as one of two co-presidents (the other still to be determined), secretary Allison Poe, and treasurer Jon Flam. To round out their 16-18-person board, three more appointees will be named at the foundation’s September meeting.

About three-quarters of the 18-member board reached the end of their two-year-terms at the end of this past school year.

“We’re in a two- to three-year change process,” said Jeb Spencer, who’s been on the Education Foundation board since April 2007, and who led the nominating committee to pick the new board members.

With the changing board comes a changing way of doing business, one that steers away from conflicts of interest and fundraising controversy.

This past school year, the foundation did away with paid staff employees, including highly paid executive director Maria Olson, and instead shifted towards a volunteer organization.

The foundation will still employ a part-time accountant to process fundraising checks, and a part-time administrative assistant.

“It’s a big change from a year ago,” said Spencer. “We had to find a new group of people who understand this is a three- to five-hour-a-week commitment. It’s much more than coming to a one-hour board meeting once a month. These are people with an activist philosophy who are going to roll up their sleeves.”

Because each board member has a child in one of the eight district schools, Spencer is confident the foundation will have the best interests of each school at its heart, and that the controversy that plagued the foundation—especially in regards to enrichment funding—is a thing of the past.

The enrichment program provides art, music, science, and technology education; its staff is funded partly by donations to the foundation. As a result of the controversial buyout of former Superintendent Tom Bishop, many parents withheld donations, causing instability and panic as to how the enrichment program would continue.

“Let’s get rid of all the issues, all the scandals, all the politics, and get some money into our school system,” he added. “That’s all this is about. I think we got rid of all the politics last year, and we’ll continue to do so this year.”

Donations for the Enrichment Program will occur on a school-by-school basis rather than going into a general fund. This approach comes as a result of a survey Spencer wrote which revealed that 90 percent of parents preferred to see their contributions go to a specific school.

In the past, parents expressed to the foundation their hesitancy at donating to a general fund and being unable to track how their contribution was used.

To avoid this, and to foster and maintain a healthy relationship between the foundation and its donors, the foundation will engage in monthly dialogues with the parents, and will provide each school with a “fundraiser toolbox,” which offers ways—fundraising galas, pledge days, educational seminars, telemarketing, appealing to past donors — to effectively raise money.

Last year, the foundation raised about $600,000, and though no fundraising goal has been set for the coming year, Spencer expects they’ll take in between $500,000 and $600,000.

Each year, the foundation hosts two events—in the past it was a golf outing and a gala at the Belly Up Tavern—that cover its minimal overhead and allow them to donate all the money raised directly to the school without skimming any off the top.

“We rebuilt trust with many people last year,” he said. “I think the fact we raised so much speaks to that.”

Keeping the Education Foundation a separate entity from the Del Mar Union School District Board of Trustees is a quality Spencer believes will eliminate any conflicts of interest, and create a clear fundraising path for donors.

“We’re a nonprofit organization, separate from the school board,” said Spencer. They say to us, ‘You guys raise the money, let us know where you want it to go.’ That makes sense. We have a very good relationship.”

Steven McDowell, a board member of the Del Mar Union School District and ex-officio member of the Education Foundation in 2007, applauded the foundation’s independence, but is cautious about the foundation making demands of the school board.

“The foundation has to set its own goals and missions. It’s difficult to provide a forecast of our needs.”

Though the foundation will work closely with each school’s principal and parent population, McDowell said the school board will ensure foundation money is distributed equally throughout the school district.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Hermosa Beach: Investigators conclude school retaliated against student’s dad

by Robb Fulcher
Published April 24, 2008

Source: Easy Reader News

Federal investigators have determined that a Hermosa Valley School employee made allegations to child welfare authorities that a parent kept an unclean home and verbally abused school staff in retaliation for the parent’s advocacy in seeking special education classes for his son. The child welfare authorities found the allegations of abuse or neglect “inconclusive or unfounded.”

Investigators for the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights also found that the school retaliated against the parent by holding his seventh-grade son in a supervised, one-day “in-school suspension” without notifying the parent as required by state law.

The Hermosa Beach City School District signed a resolution agreement with the Office for Civil Rights calling for the district to revise its nondiscrimination and complaint policies, reemphasize its commitment to prohibit retaliation by employees, and provide nondiscrimination and non-retaliation training to the staff and administration of Valley School.

The school district “has not admitted any violation of law and has contested a number of [the investigators’] conclusions,” according to a March 4 report from the leader of the investigating team.

Hermosa Beach City School Superintendent Sharon McClain said state confidentiality laws prohibit her from publicly commenting on matters involving students and parents, and a school district attorney advised her she could not comment in detail on the subject of this story.

“All District personnel did what they thought was appropriate and right under the circumstances. We have fully cooperated with the OCR [Office for Civil Rights] in regards to both the investigation and the resolution agreement pertaining to the investigation,” she said in a prepared statement.

“We understand that OCR has closed their file in this matter. It would be inappropriate for me to go into any additional detail about the investigation as it would compromise student and teacher confidentiality,” she said.

The parent provided a copy of the investigators’ letter but declined comment on a number of matters including which school employees made accusations against him.

Separate child welfare investigators determined the allegations of verbal and physical abuse of the student by the parent were also “inconclusive or unfounded.”

The employee who made the verbal abuse allegation later made the accusations about an unclean home and verbal abuse of school staff – the ones determined to be retaliatory – in a follow-up interview with child welfare authorities, the letter stated.

Other accusations

The parent’s advocacy for his son dates back at least to 2006.

By the spring of 2005 his son “was not meeting the basic minimum requirements for his grade level, particularly in math,” the investigators’ letter stated. He was evaluated by a school psychologist in 2006, when he was a seventh grade student, and a team of school employees determined that he was “not eligible for special education services.”

The parient disagreed. At a Feb. 14 meeting he “openly questioned the credentials” of a school resource specialist and “protested the school’s prior determinations to deny him the ability to speak with” a special education teacher or teaching assistant, the letter stated.

“During the meeting the assistant principal [Sylvia Gluck, who is now the principal] became upset with [the parent], walked out of the meeting and said to him, ‘I do not want to say something I’ll regret later,” according to the letter.

(Phone calls to Gluck were not returned Tuesday or early Wednesday, and McClain said confidentiality laws would prevent Gluck from commenting.)

At that meeting, the school team continued to maintain that the student was not eligible for special education but agreed to let him enroll in a special education math class, the letter stated.

The parent continued to disagree with the school’s assessment of his son and hired a psychologist who evaluated the student and “reached a conclusion contrary” to that of the school.

The parent retained an attorney and another meeting was scheduled with the school team.

Then on April 26 or April 27, 2006, a school employee met with the assistant principal to “discuss the possibility of making a report concerning the parent” to the state Department of Child and Family Services, the letter stated.

On April 28, 2006, the employee made a report to the department “in which it was alleged that the parent was verbally abusive to the student,” the letter stated.

Child and Family Services launched an investigation, including on-campus interviews of school district staff. During the interviews, the school employee “made further allegations that the parent “kept an unclean home” and “was verbally abusive with staff.”

In a June 8, 2006 letter, the Department of Child and Family Services told the parent that its investigation was closed, and “the allegation of child abuse or neglect was either inconclusive or unfounded.”

On May 5, 2006 a separate school employee, “based on observations of the student, made a report to the Department of Child and Family Services in which it was alleged that the student was the victim of physical abuse,” the report stated. Before making the report, the employee consulted with the assistant principal and principal of the school, according to the report.

That night at 10:15 a Department of Child and Family Services social worker and a uniformed police officer knocked on the family’s door and examined the student and his older brother “for signs of physical abuse. No signs of physical abuse were found and the Department of Child and Family Services determined it was unnecessary to interview [the school employee who reported the suspicion of abuse],” the letter stated.

In a June 30, 2006 letter the Department of Child and Family Services told the parent that the second case was closed, and again, “the allegation of child abuse or neglect was either inconclusive or unfounded.”

On May 15, 2006 an attorney for the parent faxed school district Superintendent Sharon McClain claiming that the parent was being harassed and retaliated against, and a complaint would be filed with the Office for Civil Rights.

“The district did not investigate the allegations stated in the May 15 fax or respond in any way,” the federal investigators found. “The superintendent explained that she believed that the letter was not intended to be addressed to her in an ‘official’ capacity but rather in a ‘personal’ capacity. She believed that the issues stated therein were being addressed through due process hearings…”

On May 16, 2006 a school resource specialist sent the student to the administration office for allegedly punching another student, and the assistant principal assigned the student to one day of “Saturday school.” The school sent a “Saturday school form” home with the student, but failed to call the parent to tell him of the Saturday school requirement, and the parent did not send his son to Saturday school, the letter stated. Then the assistant principal gave the student a one-day, supervised “in-school suspension” for failing to attend Saturday school, the letter stated.

The Office for Civil Rights letter states that the California Education Code requires a school employee to contact a parent or guardian “at the time of the suspension.” The Office for Civil Rights concluded that the assistant principal traded voice mail messages with the parent, but did not reach him to tell of the in-school suspension.

“The district’s failure to take its usual steps is particularly problematic given the parent’s belief, at the time, that the district subjected him and the student to retaliation,” stated the report. ER

More information:

Letter from Sharon McClain, Revised Board Policies

HERMOSA BEACH CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

Source; Hermosa Beach City Schools mailing list

May 21, 2008

Dear Parents,

It¹s hard to believe that there is only one more month of school! The year has flown by and much has been accomplished. Students have had not only received a rigorous education based on the California Academic Standards, they have had many additional opportunities to participate in curriculum-related activities throughout the school year.

For example, Kinder students have studied the ocean and made trips to a local aquarium and to the beach. Second grade students have worked to become environmental specialists and will soon visit the Eco Station in Culver City. First grade developed a post office in every classroom to help students better understand letter writing, community helpers, and related mathematics. Our third graders just participated in a Pow Wow for their study of Native Americans and the 4th grade Regatta in the bowl will take place in a couple of weeks. Fifth grade students recently celebrated Colonial Days for their social studies unit and our middle school students have visited Catalina, Malibu, and Idyllwild to enhance their study of the science curriculum. The School Chorus has performed at the Women¹s Club, Rotary, and for their classmates, and the fabulous ³Nifty Fifties² middle school musical was a hit with everyone!

Teachers have been busy as well making sure your children are continuing to progress and will be ready for the next grade level. This year, they have worked to refine curriculum and develop new activities for Language Arts, Social Studies, Science and Math. They are currently working on a plan, along with school administration, to develop more ³safety nets² for students who may be falling behind.

The Board of Education has reviewed over 400 Board Policies in order to bring them up to date. Board Policies (BP) and Administrative Regulations (AR) are currently available in hard copy in the District and school offices and will be available online at the start of the 08-09 school year. Two important policies, BP and AR 1312.3 and 5145.3 are attached to this letter per a mandate by the Office of Civil Rights. We hope you will take the time to read them online here, http://hbcsd.org/images/UPC_05_15_08.pdf. On behalf of all of the staff members, thank you for your continued support and for sending us such wonderful children! There is no better place to be than in the Hermosa Schools!

Sincerely,
Sharon McClain
Sharon McClain, Ed.D.
Superintendent

Monday, August 25, 2008

McClain moves south

Source: South Bay School Notebook

By Melissa Pamer on August 21, 2008 10:49 AM

Sharon McClain, the superintendent of Hermosa Beach City School District, accepted an offer for the top job last night from Del Mar Union School District, a larger K-6 district in San Diego County.

She leaves the K-8 South Bay district after a five-year tenure. McClain said she was recruited for the Del Mar Union job by education head-hunters The Cosca Group, which called her last month.

In a conversation yesterday, McClain made clear that her husband, Joe Condon, will remain as head of Lawndale School District, where he's been since 1992.

"He's not going to leave. He'll probably retire from there," she said.

The couple have family in the San Diego and Orange County areas, and had been talking about moving down there in the future. Until Condon retires, McClain said she'd rent an apartment in the Del Mar area during the week, and the couple will retain their Long Beach home.

McClain said she'd meet shortly with the Hermosa Beach school board to talk about a transition period.

Friday, August 22, 2008

Dr. Sharon McClain Selected as Del Mar Union School District Superintendent

Source: http://dmusd.org/district/files/openFile.aspx?fileID=5250.

Dr. Sharon McClain Selected as Del Mar Union School District Superintendent

DEL MAR - On August 20, 2008, the Board of Trustees of the Del Mar Union School District unanimously approved the appointment of Dr. Sharon McClain as the new Superintendent. After a national search, the Board of Trustees in their drive to introduce their new Superintendent on the first day of school conducted a full day of first round interviews on Saturday August 16th and second round interviews with the finalists on Sunday August 17th. The Board traveled to Hermosa Beach, California today to conduct a validation visit and believes that Dr. Sharon McClain most perfectly matches the community-based criteria.

Board President Annette Easton stated, "The Del Mar Union School District will thrive under Dr. McClain/s leadership. Sharon/s breadth of experience will allow her to move seamlessly into this role. We believe we have found a perfect match for our district - one who greatly values public education, will maintain our high expectations for student achievement, exudes enthusiasm and collaboration, has all the essential skills and experience, and who will be a great leader of the district's talented administrative team, but more importantly a colleague.

Sharon comes from a family of educators. Her mother, grandmother, great aunt, aunt, and brother have all been teachers. Her father was a Marine Corps fighter pilot, flying a Corsair (F4U) in the South Pacific during WWII. Sharon attended San Diego State University, where she received her B.S. with distinction in Spanish. She earned her masters degree from National University and doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of La Verne.

Sharon began her teaching career in St. Louis, Mo. in 1967 in an "inner city" school. After teaching in St. Louis, Sharon stayed home for 10 years to have her children, Laura and Luke. Laura is now a practicing lawyer and Luke will transfer to UCLA next fall. Sharon has also had 4 foster children - Tiffany, Celeste, Gina, and Johnny, now grown. Sharon is married to Dr. Joe Condon, Superintendent of the Lawndale School District. Together, they have five children and 8 grandchildren.

Sharon resumed her teaching career in the Escondido Union School District in San Diego County in 1986. She taught elementary school and then vocal music for 3 1/2 years. In 1989, she became the district/s Coordinator of Student Support Programs in the Escondido district and then became the principal of Central School in Escondido in 1992. Central School is the oldest school in the city and 85% of the students were English Language Learners (mostly Spanish speakers). In 1994, Sharon moved to Ojai to become the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction and Personnel in the Ojai Unified School District where Dr. Gwen Gross was Superintendent. Gwen and Sharon worked together for 4 years until Sharon became the Superintendent of the Mesa Union School District in Somas, CA (near Camarillo). From Mesa, Sharon moved to Hermosa Beach City School District where she is currently the Superintendent.

Sharon describes herself as a "teaching junkie" because of her many university teaching experiences. She has taught at UCSD and Chapman Universities, California State Universities at San Marcos, Channel Islands, Northridge, and Dominguez Hills. She is currently an adjunct professor at Pepperdine University.

The Board is delighted that the school year will begin on such a strong, positive note. Dr. McClain will use the next few weeks to complete her transition from Hermosa Beach to the Del Mar Union School District. While the final details of the Superintendent's contract still need to be finished, the Board is pleased that they will be able to bring in such a wonderful addition to our District within the parameters set in their budget.

"I'm thrilled and honored to be part of the Del Mar School District family. The support for schools is incredible!" says Dr. McClain.

New superintendent Sharon McClain's CV

Source: http://dmusd.org/district/files/openFile.aspx?fileID=5250.

SHARON L. McCLAIN, Ed.D.

ACADEMIC PREPARATION

1996 University of LaVerne
LaVerne, CA
Ed.D. Educational Leadership
1991 National University
San Marcos, CA
M.S. in Educational Administration
1966 San Diego State University
San Diego, CA
B.S. With Distinction in Spanish

CREDENTIALS and PROFESSIONAL TRAINING

California Administrative Services Credential
ACSA Personnel Academy Certificate
California Clear Multiple Subject Credential, K - 14
California Language Development Specialist Certificate
Missouri Life Teaching Certificate, K - 12

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

8/03 to Present Superintendent
Hermosa Beach City School District
Hermosa Beach, CA
California Distinguished Schools
National Blue Ribbon Schools
7/00 - 8/03 Superintendent
Mesa Union School District
California Distinguished School
National Blue Ribbon School
Somis, CA
1997 - 7/00 Assistant Superintendent,
Educational Services and Human Resources
Ojai Unified School District
Ojai, California
1997 - Present Adjunct Faculty Member
Graduate School of Education and Psychology,
Pepperdine University
Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies,
California State University, Dominguez Hills
1997 - Present Doctoral Dissertation Committee
University of LaVerne, LaVerne, CA
1995 - 1997 Adjunct Faculty Member
Graduate School of Education
University of California at San Diego

California State University, San Marcos
Chapman University - Masters in Education Program
1994 - 1997 Principal, Central School
California School Boards Association Golden Bell Award
Escondido Union School District
1992 - 1994 Principal, State Preschools and District Independent Study Program
Director, Early Childhood Education
Escondido Union School District
1989 - 1992 Coordinator, Student Support Programs:
Bilingual Education, Substance Abuse Education,
Family Life Education
Summer School Supervisor
Escondido Union School District

RELATED EXPERIENCE

2006 - Present State Superintendents' Symposium Planning Committee
2008 - 2009 Secretary, City Superintendents' Association of California
2005 - Present Superintendents' Chair, South Bay Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) - 12 Districts
2004 - Present Chairperson, ADTech (South Bay Advanced Education Technology Consortium)
2001 - Present Research and Examining Committee, University of La Verne Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership
2001 - Present Practitioner Partnership for University of La Verne Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership
1999 Pepperdine University School of Law, Negotiation and Mediation Training Graduate
1996 - Present Foster Parent and Foster Parent Adviser
1992 - Present Grant Development
Over $4,000,000 awarded for successful grant proposals

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT / PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

  • Rotary International - Club President, Committee Leadership in Program, Membership, Club Service and Vocational Service
  • Rotary Paul Harris Fellow
  • Community Leadership Council for Boys and Girls Clubs
  • Alliance for the Arts
  • Association of California School Administrators
  • Association for Supervision and Curriculum and Development
  • Urban Superintendents' Association of America
  • Center for Quality Leadership
  • Delta Kappa Gamma Society International
  • Hermosa Beach Education Foundation
  • Health Care District Administrative Community Leaders Advisory Panel
  • Violinist, Beach Cities Symphony Orchestra
  • Liaison with City Council and Hermosa Beach Police Department
  • Over $4,000,000 awarded for successful grant proposals

HONORS

  • University of La Verne Educational Leadership Doctoral Standard Bearer
  • California Congress of PTA Continuing Service Award
  • California Congress of PTA Honorary Service Award
  • Delta Kappa Gamma Society International
        Ola B. Hiller International Scholarship for Doctoral Studies
        Adele Lewis Grant California State Scholarship for Doctoral Studies
  • Professional In Residence Scholarship Recipient, Hazelden Services for Drug Rehabilitation, awarded by the Joan Kroc COACH Substance Abuse Prevention Foundation

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Del Mar hires new head of schools

Educator worked in Hermosa Beach

Source: http://signonsandiego.com/news/northcounty/20080821-9999-1mc21mcclain.html

By Bruce Lieberman
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

August 21, 2008

Del Mar school trustees last night unanimously voted to hire the head of the Hermosa Beach City School District as superintendent.

Sharon McClain beat out 20 other candidates from around the nation.

Trustee Janet Lamborghini called McClain “an exemplary educator” and “great collaborator” whose love for music and languages will fit well in Del Mar.

“She is a great match for this district because of her interests, because of her energy, because of her consensus building,” Lamborghini said. “I could go on and on.”

Board President Annette Easton said McClain was an extremely likable person who reaches out to community members and makes a point of eating lunch with children in her district. “Her personality is going to be just a great fit,” Easton said.

McClain will visit schools on the first day of school on Monday, but she is expected to shuttle between Hermosa Beach and Del Mar for a few weeks so she can conclude business up north, Easton said.

The details of her contract are still being worked out, and trustees are expected to vote on the agreement within the next two weeks, Easton said.

McClain last night said she was thrilled with the board's decision. “I really am happy,” she said. “Del Mar is such a wonderful school district.” McClain called Del Mar a “beautiful community” with strong parent involvement and “a great staff” among teachers, administrators and other school employees.

McClain, an educator for 30 years, has worked as an elementary school teacher, principal, assistant superintendent and superintendent.

She is a graduate of San Diego State University, where she majored in Spanish, and the University of La Verne, where she earned her doctorate in education.

Her husband, Joe Condon, is superintendent of the Lawndale Elementary School District near Los Angeles International Airport.

McClain and her husband have six children, all grown.

McClain's district in Hermosa Beach is among the highest performing in California, with an Academic Performance Index – the state's key measure of overall school performance – of 905 in 2007. Del Mar Union had a higher API score in 2007 – 947 – and with about 3,800 students, it's more than three times bigger than the district in Hermosa Beach.

Del Mar school trustees were particularly impressed by McClain's efforts to introduce foreign languages to elementary school students. McClain established a Spanish language program in Hermosa Beach and also launched a program in Mandarin.

K-8 schools chief is leaving Hermosa Beach school district

Source: The Daily Breeze

Article Launched: 08/20/2008 10:58:03 PM PDT

Hermosa Beach City School District is losing its superintendent to a larger district with similar demographics and high test scores in suburban San Diego.

Sharon McClain, who has served as superintendent at the Hermosa Beach K-8 district since 2003, accepted the top job at Del Mar Union School District at a closed-session school board meeting in San Diego on Wednesday evening.

Board members from Del Mar Union, who had ousted a 10-year superintendent earlier this year, visited Hermosa Beach schools on Wednesday.

"I love Hermosa, I don't want to leave Hermosa," McClain said. "(Del Mar Union) is just bigger, so it's kind of a promotion in a way."

Del Mar Union, a K-6 district with eight schools in Del Mar and north San Diego, has about 4,100 students. Hermosa Beach has two campuses with about 1,100 students.

Both districts have top-tier test scores and majority-white student bodies.

Hermosa Beach will likely appoint an interim superintendent, said McClain, who promised to stay through a short transition period.

McClain's husband, Joseph Condon, is the longtime superintendent of Lawndale School District and will remain in that position, officials there said.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Schools chief goes to bigger district

Source: Easy Reader News

by Robb Fulcher
Published August 21, 2008

Hermosa public school Superintendent Sharon McClain will resign to take the helm of the larger Del Mar Union School District down the coast in San Diego County.

McClain, who led the Hermosa district for five years, was long rumored to be leaving for the top job in a larger school district. Her resignation was revealed in an official announcement for a closed-door meeting of the Hermosa Beach City School District scheduled for this morning. One item on the meeting agenda read: “public employee resignation – superintendent.”

“I’m excited about it because it’s going to be a challenge. It’s going to be a bigger district,” McClain said in a telephone message Tuesday. “But I’m really going to miss Hermosa.”

The Del Mar school district serves 4,100 students, which is about four times the number of the Hermosa district, and has eight campuses, which is four times the number of the Hermosa district.

The Del Mar district has been led by an interim superintendent since March 5.

McClain joined the Hermosa district as superintendent five years ago to the month, replacing Robert “Duffy” Clark.

At Hermosa, McClain helped oversee construction of a controversial gymnasium-library-classroom building that was approved before her arrival for the third-through-eighth grade Hermosa Valley School, and she weathered an unsuccessful lawsuit that sought to halt the project.

During her tenure the school district unsuccessfully asked voters for fresh school bonds in 2006 and a “parcel tax” on Hermosa properties in 2008. Many school district critics cited the gymnasium building as a reason for opposing additional infusions of money.

McClain also presided over continued high performance by Hermosa students, who traditionally score well on the standardized academic tests that state education officials prize.

Meanwhile, the school district was dogged by the budget woes of Sacramento. When McClain arrived in Hermosa parents were asked to donate $300 per student to keep a number of academic programs afloat; as she leaves, the requested donation amount has more than doubled.

This summer the Hermosa Beach City Council donated $100,000 worth of services to the school district to help cover a projected $1.2 million shortfall for the coming school year, after parent donations and other private fundraising efforts brought in $690,000.

Before coming to Hermosa, McClain served as superintendent of the Mesa Union School District in Ventura County, which like Hermosa serves kindergarten through eighth grade students. Mesa Union had 550 kids, about half the number Hermosa has, and had one campus, which also is half the number Hermosa has.

Del Mar Union trustees to hire superintendent

Source: http://signonsandiego.com/news/northcounty/20080820-0734-1bo20sup.html
7:34 a.m. August 20, 2008

DEL MAR: Del Mar Union School District trustees are expected to hire the head of the Hermosa Beach City School District as superintendent this evening, after a six-month search.

Sharon McClain, an educator for more than 30 years, is expected to be hired by trustees at a special board meeting at 5 p.m. at Ashley Falls School, 13030 Ashley Falls Drive in Carmel Valley.

Twenty-one people applied for the Del Mar superintendent position, and the board narrowed the field to six finalists, said Ken Noonan, whose firm, The Cosca Group, conducted the search. The board was eager to hire someone before the start of the school year on Monday.

“I think it's a very good match,” said Noonan, a trustee for the state Board of Education and the former superintendent of the Oceanside Unified School District.

“I hope I can come to Del Mar,” McClain said. “It's a wonderful school district . . . with great teachers and staff.”

The Hermosa Beach district, which enrolls about 1,100 students in kindergarten through sixth grade, is smaller than Del Mar Union, which enrolls about 3,800. Under McClain's leadership, the Hermosa Beach district is one of the top performing districts in the state.

Del Mar schools open new era with new superintendent

Source: Del Mar Times

Wednesday, August 20, 2008
By Jim Kerr

McClain announcement was expected tonight

The party's over for about 4,200 Del Mar and Carmel Valley kids. Monday, Aug. 25 marks the first day of classes for the Del Mar Union School district and its eight elementary school campuses.

It's not just the start of another school year but also the dawning of a new era in the district. This will be the first school year in a decade that the district will open without Tom Bishop as school superintendent.

Last February, district trustees somewhat controversially bought out the contract of Bishop, ending 10 years of leadership that saw the opening of five new schools in the district and causing a rift among a large group of parents and educators. But with six months of water under the bridge, the district is now prepared to introduce another leader in an era most likely marked by decreasing growth and economic challenges. Although not official yet, it is believed a closed session meeting of trustees today will result in the naming of Hermosa Beach City School Superintendent Sharon McClain as Del Mar's new leader. Del Mar trustees were scheduled to travel to Hermosa Beach this morning to speak to members of that district's school community and return later to the Del Mar district's Ashley Falls School for the announcement.

When contacted earlier today, McClain acknowledged she was being considered for the post but could not give further details.

"I hope to be named and I would be thrilled to be named," she said. "Del Mar is a wonderful district and very similar to Hermosa except larger."

The Hermosa Beach district oversees about 3,000 less students than the Del Mar district, but like Del Mar is considered one of the higher performing districts in the state in regard to test scores. The Hermosa district also operates as does Del Mar, with a successful education foundation, school site councils and well-regarded special education program. The district has been in existence for about 100 years.

Del Mar will open its oldest current school, Del Mar Hills Academy, without a permanent principal, after seven-year principal Laurie Francis accepted the vacant principal post at the San Dieguito High School District's Carmel Valley Middle School. The district has named an acting principal for the school, former Cardiff School District Superintendent Vince Jewell. Jewell, 58, retired last year from the Cardiff district after spending four years as superintendent. At the time he said he was retiring to devote more time to being an artist. Bernard said Jewell's art background would be a good fit for the school's academy format and that Jewell would stay on at the school until trustees name a fulltime replacement.

That replacement might have some shared duties in the future. Bernard acknowledged that at the Sept. 3 school board meeting, trustees would begin an initial conversation concerning possibly folding both Del Mar Hills and Del Mar Heights into one school. Under that scenario, one school might hold kindergarten through second grade classes and the other, third through sixth grade classes. Under that format, the two campuses could possibly share one principal and an assistant principal. Bernard said that one of the schools could also house the district's preschool and employee childcare facility. Depending on the final outcome of the purchase deal with the city of Del Mar for the Shores property, that facility could need a new home.

"These are options for an initial discussion and they have been thrown out there as a possibility," said Bernard.

With decreasing student population at the two schools - especially Del Mar Hills, which will lose 30 students this year - rumors have circulated for several years over the possible closure of one. The schools sit within one mile of each other off of Del Mar Heights road just east of Interstate-5.

"We will put some other ideas out there, but we will obviously want a lot of public input on this," said Bernard.

No such problems exist, though, at the district's Carmel Valley schools, where a sudden upturn in student registrations last week prompted a need for the posting of four additional teaching positions. The registration influx has delayed the approval of some intradistrict transfers and has had the greatest impact at the district's newest school Ocean Air.

According to Rodger Smith, director of facilities and planning for the district, Ocean Air will have 110 additional students over last year.

He said Ashley Falls School experienced an enrollment drop of about 28 students, as did Carmel Del Mar school, which saw a 20 student drop. Overall, the district will gain about 70 students from last year.

As usual, grades kindergarten through sixth have an 8 a.m. start with grades first through sixth dismissed at 2:30 a.m. except on minimum day Wednesdays when dismissal is at 12:30 p.m. Kindergarten students are dismissed daily at 12:40 p.m., but commencing Sept. 15, kindergarten students will have one extended day per week with a 1:45 p.m. dismissal. Their respective kindergarten teachers will inform parents of the new schedule.


Jim Kerr
Jim is the editor for the Del Mar Times, Carmel Valley Leader, Solana Beach Sun and Rancho Sante Fe Record. Jim can be reached by e-mail.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Del Mar school district expected to name superintendent Wednesday

Source: http://signonsandiego.com/news/northcounty/20080819-1923-bn19supe.html.

By Bruce Lieberman
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

7:23 p.m. August 19, 2008

DEL MAR – The superintendent of the Hermosa Beach City School District is expected to be hired as head of the Del Mar Union School District at a board of trustees meeting Wednesday evening.

Sharon McClain, an educator for more than 30 years, was chosen as the top contender out of 21 applicants, Ken Noonan, whose firm The Cosca Group conducted the search, confirmed Tuesday afternoon.

McClain, contacted in Hermosa Beach, said she was thrilled at the possibility of coming to Del Mar.

“It's a beautiful community, with great teachers and staff,” she said. “It's heaven in terms of school districts.”

The Del Mar school board is scheduled to vote to hire McClain at a special meeting at 5 p.m. Wednesday. The meeting will be at Ashley Falls School, 13030 Ashley Falls Drive in Carmel Valley.

Del Mar Union has been without a permanent superintendent since late February, when a fractured school board ousted Tom Bishop, who had a 10-year tenure. Trustees Annette Easton, Katherine White and Steve McDowell, who have formed a consistent voting bloc on the board, had criticized Bishop for running the district with what they said was a heavy hand.

Former Trustee Linda Crawford, who resigned from the board in mid-March, and Trustee Janet Lamborghini, who is not running for re-election this fall, supported Bishop but made up a board minority.

The Del Mar school board is scheduled to spend most of the day Wednesday visiting McClain's school district in Hermosa Beach, which enrolls about 1,100 students and is one of the top-performing in the state. Its Academic Performance Index, a state measure of academic performance, was 905 in 2007 – compared with Del Mar Union's score of 947. Both are considered among the best in California.

Del Mar Union, with about 3,800 students, is more than three times larger than the district in Hermosa Beach.

The Del Mar board was eager to hire someone by the start of school on Monday, and trustees worked especially hard in recent weeks to comb through a group of finalists, Noonan said.

“Our company's goal was to present a very difficult decision to make,” he said. “The candidates were superb, so it was not easy for them to choose.”

White would not confirm that the board was considering McClain, and she declined to say anything about the search until Wednesday.

“We haven't made any announcements about anything,” White said. “We obviously have not taken a vote. Otherwise, we would have had to announce it.”

Lamborghini and Easton also said they couldn't comment. Trustees Steve McDowell and Doug Perkins could not be reached Tuesday evening.

Noonan said the board was particularly impressed by McClain's dedication to exposing elementary school students to foreign languages. In Hermosa Beach, she championed a program to teach students Spanish in a district where few are native Spanish speakers. She also has worked to establish a foreign language program in Mandarin, and she has traveled to China to research language programs there, Noonan said.

McClain majored in Spanish as an undergraduate at San Diego State University, and for a time she studied in Guadalajara, Mexico, and in San Antonio de Belen in Costa Rica.

She completed her master's degree at National University and received her doctorate from the University of La Verne.

Over the years, McClain has worked as a teacher, principal, assistant superintendent and superintendent.

Her husband, Joe Condon, is superintendent of the Lawndale Elementary School District, near Los Angeles International Airport.

The couple are the parents of six children, including four foster children. All are grown.

McClain has worked as a vocal teacher, and she plays the violin and piano – pluses for the school district in Del Mar, whose parents have supported arts education.

The board is still negotiating McClain's salary and benefits, Noonan said Tuesday afternoon. Tom Bishop's salary was about $192,000 annually when he left.

Bruce Lieberman: (760) 476-8205; bruce.lieberman@uniontrib.com.

More information:

Special Board Meeting 8-20 - Superintendent Appointment

Source: http://dmusd.org/district/files/openFile.aspx?fileID=5226

DEL MAR UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Ashley Falls School – Administration Conference Room
13030 Ashley Falls Drive
San Diego, CA 92130 (map)

NOTICE OF SPECIAL BOARD MEETING
BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Wednesday, August 20, 20
9:20 A.M.

CALL TO ORDER - OPEN SESSION – 9:20 a.m.

BUSINESS TO BE TRANSACTED WILL BE LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING:

  1. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
  2. PUBLIC COMMENT

ADJOURN TO CLOSED SESSION. (ASHLEY FALLS SCHOOL – ADMINISTRATION CONFERENCE ROOM)

CALL TO ORDER – CLOSED SESSION

CLOSED SESSION AGENDA:

  1. PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT APPOINTMENT/EMPLOYMENT: TITLE: SUPERINTENDENT (PERMANENT) (G.C. 54957)

During Closed Session the Board will travel to Hermosa Beach, California to speak with members of the Hermosa Beach City School District community at the following location:

Hermosa Beach City School District 1645 Valley Drive Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 (map)

Following the session in Hermosa Beach, the Board will return to the Administration Office at Ashley Falls School.

  1. CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATOR: (GOVERNMENT CODE 54957.6) AGENCY DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVES: KENNETH NOONAN AND BILL BRAGG, THE COSCA GROUP, UNREPRESENTED EMPLOYEE: SUPERINTENDENT (PERMANENT)

ADJOURN TO OPEN SESSION

RECONVENE TO OPEN SESSION (Anticipated Start Time is 5:00 PM)

  1. REPORT OF ACTION TAKEN IN CLOSED SESSION
  2. PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT APPOINTMENT/EMPLOYMENT: TITLE: SUPERINTENDENT (PERMANENT) (G.C. 54957) - OFFER OF EMPLOYMENT
  3. ADJOURNMENT OF SPECIAL BOARD MEETING OF AUGUST 20, 2008.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Mary Farrell's Statement to the Board

Read at the Special Board Meeting of Sunday, August 17, 2008

This meeting is improper and possibly illegal. I would like the record to show that my husband and I believe the law requires that this meeting be rescheduled to a more appropriate time and place.

When the announcement appeared yesterday that this special meeting was to be held on a Sunday morning at the home of a Board member, my immediate reaction was: “Have they taken leave of their senses?”

While some feel the need for speed in appointing a new superintendent, I feel it is regrettable that you did not feel this need earlier in the process when expediency did not lead you to abandon good judgement.

The public’s business must be conducted in public. It must be conducted at a time when all members of the public can attend. It is your civic responsibility to hold meetings at an appropriate time.

Sunday morning does not meet that standard. The public’s business must be conducted in a place accessible to all members of the public.

Specifically, the Brown Act, as explained in the CSBA booklet, says, “All board meetings must be open and public.... and meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act “.

I invite you to demonstrate that this meeting place complies with that requirement. The California Legislature has established a presumption in favor of public access. The following section is from “The Brown Act: Open Meetings for Legislative Bodies” published in 2003 by the California Attorney General’s Office:

”A legislative body may not conduct any meeting or function in any facility.... which is inaccessible to disabled persons ... (§ 54961.) A facility is accessible if it fully satisfies the accessibility requirements of Government Code section 4450 et seq. or Health and Safety Code section 19955 et seq., as well as the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. (§ 54953.2) If a meeting facility is inaccessible, the meeting must be moved to an accessible facility. “

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Special School Board Meeting - Superintendent Appointment

Official Agenda, Special School Board Meeting
Sunday, August 17, 2008

2575 Cordero
Del Mar, CA 92014 (map)

NOTICE OF SPECIAL CLOSED SESSION BOARD MEETING
BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Sunday, August 17, 2008
9:00 a.m.

CALL TO ORDER- OPEN SESSION - 9:00 am

BUSINESS TO BE TRANSACTED WILL BE LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING:

  1. Approval of Agenda
  2. Public Comment

ADJOURN TO CLOSED SESSION

CLOSED SESSION AGENDA:

  1. PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT APPOINTMENT/EMPLOYMENT: TITLE: SUPERINTENDENT (PERMANENT) (G.C. 54957)

ADJOURN TO OPEN SESSION

RECONVENE TO OPEN SESSION

  1. REPORT OF ACTION TAKEN IN CLOSED SESSION
  2. ADJOURNMENT OF SPECIAL BOARD MEETING OF AUGUST 17, 2008.

More information:

Special School Board Meeting - Superintendent Appointment

Official Agenda, Special School Board Meeting • Saturday, August 16, 2008

CALL TO ORDER- OPEN SESSION - 8:30 am

BUSINESS TO BE TRANSACTED WILL BE LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING:

  1. Approval of Agenda
  2. Public Comment

ADJOURN TO CLOSED SESSION

CLOSED SESSION AGENDA:

  1. PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT APPOINTMENT/EMPLOYMENT: TITLE: SUPERINTENDENT (PERMANENT) (G.C. 54957)

ADJOURN TO OPEN SESSION

RECONVENE TO OPEN SESSION

  1. REPORT OF ACTION TAKEN IN CLOSED SESSION
  2. ADJOURNMENT OF SPECIAL BOARD MEETING OF AUGUST 16, 2008.

More information:

Few candidates file for local school board spots

Source: Carmel Valley News

It appears that there will not be an election for the available seats on the Del Mar Union School District Board of Trustees and the Solana Beach School Board as candidates did not exceed vacancies. As of presstime for this newspaper, Aug. 13, at 1 p.m., local residents had until 5 p.m. on Aug. 13 to file candidacy papers with the county for races where all incumbents did not file for re-election.

As of presstime, Doug Perkins, currently serving on the board, and Comischell Rodriguez filed as candidates for the two available seats on the Del Mar school board. Rich Leib and incumbent Art Palkowitz filed for the two Solana Beach school board spots. It appears an election will be held for the San Dieguito Union High School District: Incumbents Joyce Dalessandro and Beth Hergesheimer will vie with Michael Klein, a dentist, for two seats on the board. For a complete list, visit http://sdcounty.ca.gov/voters/Eng/election/1108candlist.pdf.

Resignation of Hills principal a blow...and a boon

Source: Carmel Valley News

By Marsha Sutton

The announcement that Del Mar Hills Elementary School principal Laurie Francis will replace Michael Grove as the new principal at Carmel Valley Middle School is a blow to those teachers and parents at the Hills who have looked to Francis for the past six years as their protector of programs, positions and promises.

Francis, who replaced long-time Hills principal Gary Wilson in April 2002, has wrestled with the usual host of educational issues across the spectrum, but none more sinister than the persistent rumors that the school itself is destined to close due to low enrollment.

The survival of “The Little School That Could” was of such paramount importance that one of Francis’s last acts as principal was to prevent the closure of the Hills at all costs, even if it meant the unintended consequence of the demise of foreign language instruction at nearby Del Mar Heights School.

Embroiled in controversy, the Spanish language pilot program, slated to start this fall at the Heights before being killed by the school board in June, was eyed with suspicion by many Hills parents and teachers. By attracting kindergarten and first-grade students to the Heights, and unintentionally away from the Hills, the Spanish program was perceived by Hills supporters as a threat to their school’s very existence and was never fully embraced as a way to introduce foreign language into the Del Mar Union School District.

Worries over threats made in years past to close the Hills if enrollment dropped percolated once again to the surface, as fearful parents and teachers turned to Francis to present their case.

And present it she did. Keeping the Hills open was the overriding issue, and Francis championed the cause valiantly. She voiced her concerns on behalf of staff and parents, and worked feverishly to develop options that might boost Hills enrollment without delaying the Heights’ Spanish program.

The anxiety in her school’s community was palpable as Francis tried to quiet the unrest. Although killing the Spanish program was her last choice, and she publicly opposed any efforts to do so, it was inevitable, given the fervor of opponents and the current, politically unstable climate in the district.

As Francis now moves on to the San Dieguito Union High School District and takes charge of Carmel Valley Middle School, it must be an enormous relief for her not to have to worry continually about attracting more students, as she did at the Hills.

In fact, at CVMS, she will, ironically, have the opposite problem and will be juggling the excessive demands of an over-subscribed school of 1,300 students in grades 7 and 8. She will be working closely with the district and Earl Warren Middle School principal Anna Pedroza to discuss options for attracting students to EWMS and away from CVMS. This will be a challenge of quite a different sort.

The fact that a Del Mar Union School District principal will be transitioning fairly seamlessly to a San Dieguito middle school in Carmel Valley – to serve students from both Del Mar and Solana Beach School District elementary schools – illustrates just how much these two communities belong together. Whether that means a united Del Mar/Solana Beach school district, a unified San Dieguito district serving students in grades K-12, or some other innovative combination of grade configurations, the point is that a merger of some sort makes obvious sense.

These are all the same kids; we are all one community. Is it really proper any longer, if it ever was, to continue to separate neighborhoods and create unnatural boundaries, using freeways and roads to sort kids on one side of the street from kids on the other?

Besides rejuvenating the campaign for a merger, the departure of Francis from Del Mar Hills is a rare opportunity for the Del Mar Union School District to consider restructuring the district in fundamentally different ways.

If leadership can view her loss as a catalyst to spark invigorating conversations about repairing the damage the language conflict has caused, they might discover innovative ways to bring the Heights and Hills communities back together and serve the educational needs of Del Mar’s children more effectively.

Francis herself suggested that her resignation may be what’s needed to prompt long overdue discussions of this sort.

In an interview, she said that a new principal who is less familiar with the staff and the program at the Hills may “possibly see things in a way that I’m not because they’re not as attached to the people.”

“If I was staying next year, which I intended to do, I wasn’t looking to make anything radical happen,” she said. “But we’re at a crossroads with the Hills/Heights issue. … And if in fact there are going to be conversations about restructuring the Hills and Heights, I think it would behoove the school [to have someone new].”

Francis said a leader uninvolved with the district’s history would be able to view the situation “from a myriad of perspectives” and have a more objective appraisal of the possibilities.

In a “goodbye” email to her staff, Francis wrote, “Although it is very difficult to let go, I am excited for a fresh set of eyes and a new dynamic leader coming into our school and seeing a new ‘next level’ that maybe I wouldn't have seen, as I am so invested in our program.”

This discussion is sorely needed.

The festering conflict between the Hills and Heights stems from the open boundary policy endorsed by former superintendent Tom Bishop, which allows students living west of Interstate 5 to choose which school to attend.

Recognizing that projected enrollment west of I-5 is insufficient to sustain both schools at cost-effective numbers, Bishop often threatened closure if enrollment dipped too low. He encouraged the Hills and Heights principals to “market” their schools aggressively and seek out students from east of the freeway.

The resulting competition for students reached a fevered pitch when the Heights proposed its Spanish language program this year. And the divisiveness has not gone unnoticed by neighboring districts.

Even Ken Noah, San Dieguito Union High School District’s new superintendent whose first day on the job was July 1, said he was aware of the Hills/Heights discord and the competition between the schools when he hired Francis, although the topic was not discussed in his interviews with her.

These issues have been with us a very long time and, sadly, have become part of each school’s culture.

I recently came across some notes from the 2001-2002 school year, when I served on the DMUSD’s informal Gifted and Talented Education committee. These are some of the issues, few of which have changed over the years, that came out of the group’s many brainstorming sessions:

  • Hills and Heights should not compete with one another – should work symbiotically as sister schools, each with self-sustaining programs.
  • Need to solve the problem of over-enrollment in Carmel Valley.
  • Need to solve the problem of under-enrollment at Hills and Heights.
  • Identify problems that exist that are unique to the two schools west of I-5, and pose possible solutions, no matter how radical.
  • Can’t offer something at Hills and Heights, and then offer it at neighborhood schools in Carmel Valley too. Must let go of equity district-wide. Hills and Heights need unique, individual programs all their own.
  • Could make Hills a school of art/music/drama focus and Heights a school of science/geography/language focus.
  • To attract Carmel Valley students, explore making one school a GATE school with GATE-certified teachers at all levels, fulfilling a demand district-wide for advanced curriculum.
  • Provide busing to schools west of I-5.
  • Guarantee enrollment at Hills and Heights through sixth grade.
  • Offer low class sizes in grades 4-6.
  • Provide foreign language instruction, specifically Spanish.

One idea presented repeatedly over the years has been to reconfigure the grade levels at both schools, and have one school serving students in kindergarten through third grade and the other offering fourth through sixth grades. This appeals to Francis as well as others who are searching for options to bring the communities back together.

“That actually would have been something that would have made me want to stay,” Francis said. “I think those possibilities are really exciting.”

There are other possibilities being mentioned too. One school might serve students in grades 3-6, while the other becomes a K-2 school and houses the district’s childcare and preschool. Or one school enrolls all the district’s special education students. Perhaps both schools should be combined under one principal and divided to serve students in some innovative way that both unites the two schools’ communities and benefits the kids.

Appointing retired Cardiff superintendent Vince Jewell to be acting principal at the Hills on a temporary basis is a stroke of genius that allows Del Mar to wait until a new superintendent is on board before making any rash decisions that would lock out creative alternatives to the status quo. This relieves pressure and gives the district time to take a fresh look at the situation.

Hiring a permanent replacement for Francis before a new superintendent is selected would have meant the loss of a golden opportunity to take a step back and examine the possibilities more objectively.

Although she was a good leader who served her students, parents, teachers and community well, Francis admits there are inherent problems between the Hills and the Heights, not of her making, that present nearly insurmountable problems. She is right to observe that resolution may only be possible with an outside leader who has little or no history in the district.

Francis’s departure can be viewed as a gift in many ways, because it gives the district a chance to do something unique with the two schools.

Despite moving on, Francis clearly still cares. She wants the dissension, and the unnecessary and unhealthy competition between her former school and Del Mar Heights School, to end.

She struck a positive note when she told me, “I do think the school board is supportive of both of these schools. I believe what they’ve said publicly many times, that they’re there to ensure the viability of the programs and want to do what’s right.”

Let’s hope district leaders take this moment and use it wisely.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Former Cardiff School District Superintendent appointed temporary principal of Del Mar Hills Academy

Source: Carmel Valley News

The Del Mar Union School District Board of Trustees Aug. 8 unanimously appointed Vince Jewell as the acting principal at Del Mar Hills Academy. Jewell is the retired superintendent of the Cardiff School District.

“Mr. Jewell is a highly respected educator in San Diego County and has a strong background and interest in the arts,” said board president Annette Easton. “The experience and positive leadership that Mr. Jewell would bring to the district will help ensure a successful and seamless 2008-09 school opening for students and parents of the Del Mar Hills Academy community.”

Jewell temporarily replaces former Hills principal Laurie Francis who has left to become the principal of Carmel Valley Middle School.

Jewell retired two years ago from the superintendent position in Cardiff, according to district interim superintendent Janet Bernard who recommended Jewell for the temporary position. Prior to that position he served as a director of human resources with the Vista Unified School District and served as a middle school principal with the Coronado Unified School District.

“Mr. Jewell is a very talented artist and since his retirement he has been able to return to his work in this field,” Bernard said. “Having a strong arts background and a proven record of outstanding leadership, he was the ideal educator to lead the Hills during this transition period.”

Jewell’s first day as the acting principal of the Hills was Aug. 11.

At the special board meeting Aug. 8, Bernard said she also presented a draft timeline for hiring the new principal. The timeline had a new leader in place by Nov. 3. However, the board directed Bernard to bring back another agenda item for the Sept. 3 board meeting with options for a different leadership configuration.

“In other words, perhaps there could be one principal between two schools (Hills/Heights) and an assistant principal hired,” Bernard said. “We’ve already started advertising for the principalship position, though, and will hold on to applications until the board decides which way they would like to go on this. In the meantime, Vince Jewell will remain acting principal indefinitely.”

Interim principal named for Del Mar Hills

Source: Del Mar Times

Thursday, August 14, 2008

By Jim Kerr

The Del Mar Union School district's board of trustees has named former Cardiff School District Superintendent Vince Jewell as acting principal at Del Mar Hills Academy. Jewell will temporarily fill the position vacated by Laurie Francis, who left to become principal at Carmel Valley Middle School. Francis was principal at Del Mar Hills for the past seven years. District trustees say they hope to have a permanent principal named for the school by the end of this year.

Jewell, 58, retired last year from the Cardiff district after spending four years as superintendent. At the time he said he was retiring to devote more time to being an artist. In assuming the Cardiff post five years ago, Jewell replaced Rodger Smith, who is currently the Del Mar Union School District's director of facilities and planning and director of human resources.

The other major vacancy in the school district remains that of superintendent. Trustees are currently interviewing applicants in hopes of naming a replacement for retired superintendent Tom Bishop by the first day of school on Monday, Aug. 25. The district received 20 applications for the district's top post.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Closed Meeting - Superintendent Appointment

Official Agenda, Special School Board Meeting • August 13, 2008

Del Mar Union School District Office
Conference Room
225 9th Street
Del Mar, CA 92014

Call To Order - Open Session - 6:00pm

Business To Be Transacted Will Be Limited To The Following:

  1. Approval of Agenda
  2. Public Comment

Adjourn To Closed Session

Closed Session Agenda:

  1. Public Employee Appointment/Employment: Title: Superintendent (Permanent) (G.C. 54957)

Adjourn To Open Session

Reconvene To Open Session

  1. Report Of Action Taken In Closed Session
  2. Adjournment Of Special Board Meeting Of August 13, 2008.

More information:

Friday, August 8, 2008

Official Agenda, Special Board Meeting • August 8, 2008

Special Board Meeting
Del Mar Union School District Office
Conference Room
225 9th Street
Del Mar, CA 92014
Friday August 8, 2008, 9:00 am

CALL TO ORDER - OPEN SESSION – 9:00 am
BUSINESS TO BE TRANSACTED WILL BE LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING:

  1. Approval of Agenda
  2. Public Comment
  3. Timeline and Process for Hiring New Principal for the Del Mar Hills Academy
  4. Board Approval of Contracts for Special Education Designated Instruction and Services for the 2008-2009 School Year

Adjourn to Closed Session

CALL TO ORDER - CLOSED SESSION

CLOSED SESSION AGENDA:

  1. PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT APPOINTMENT/EMPLOYMENT: Title: Acting Principal (G.C. 54957)
  2. PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT APPOINTMENT/EMPLOYMENT: Title: Superintendent (Permanent) (G.C. 54957)

Adjourn to Open Session

RECONVENE TO OPEN SESSION

  1. Report of action taken in closed session.
  2. Adjournment of Special Board Meeting of August 8, 2008

More information:


August 8, 2008

To: Board Members
From: Janet Bernard, Interim Superintendent
Subject: Timeline and Process for Hiring New Principal for the Del Mar Hills Academy

The administration has developed a proposed timeline and process to fill the position of Principal at the Del Mar Hills Academy. The position was vacated by Laurie Francis who was recently appointed Principal of the Carmel Valley Middle School in the San Dieguito High School District.

Due to the opening of the 2008/2009 school year in less than three weeks, the administration is recommending that an Acting Principal be named to ensure a successful school opening. This appointment will allow for an inclusive process to include parents, staff and community members in the search for a principal who is the “right match” for the school community. A recommendation for the Acting Principal position will be discussed in Closed Session.

The following timeline outlines the steps that will be implemented to identify the permanent principal by October 10, 2008, with a tentative starting date of November 3, 2008. The administration welcomes any Board suggestions to modify the proposed timeline.


DEL MAR UNION SCHOOL DISTRICT
DEL MAR HILLS ACADEMY
HIRING TIMELINE
SCHOOL PRINCIPAL

Date Activity
July 28 Open position advertised in Ed-Join through the San Diego County Office of Education
August 8 Acting Principal appointed
August 11 Open position advertised in Ed Cal, the statewide publication for all school district administrators
August 29 Application deadline
September 2-5 Application screening
September 8-12 Meetings with SSC, PTA and staff to gather input
September 16 Interview panel finalized (includes reps from all stakeholder groups)
September 19 Round I Interviews
September 25 Round II Interviews (final)
September 19 - October 3 Visitation to final candidate’s school site (if applicable)
October 6-10 Special Board Meeting to appoint new principal
November 3 First day of employment with DMUSD

August 8, 2008

To: Board Members
From: Sheila Weinberg, Director of Pupil Services
Through: Janet Bernard, Interim Superintendent
Subject: Board Approval of Contracts for Special Education Designated Instruction and Services for the 2008-2009 School Year

Staff is seeking approval to contract with the independent contractors and nonpublic agencies named below to provide required support services for students during the 2008-2009 school year.

Career Staff Unlimited
EBS Healthcare
Progressus Therapy
Soliant Health
TheraStaff, Inc.
Occupational Therapy Services
$ 100,000.00
$ 100,000.00
$ 100,000.00
$ 100,000.00
$ 100,000.00
$ 25,000.00

FISCAL IMPACT: Revenue: Restricted General Fund Special Education or Unrestricted General Fund Contribution.

Expenditure: Expenditures are included in the 2008/2009 adopted budget.

Fund Balance: No change to the fund balance.

RECOMMENDED: The Interim Superintendent recommends approval of contracts for special education services for the 2008-2009 school year.

More information:

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Hills principal gets new local post

Source: Del Mar Times


Carmel Valley Principal Michael Grove has accepted a new position at San Dieguito Academy. Del Mar Hills Principal Laurie Francis will be taking his place.
Photo by: Karen Billing

Thursday, August 07, 2008

By Karen Billing

Carmel Valley's Grove moves to high school

A couple of local schools are in the midst of a principal switch, just weeks before the first day of school. Two well-liked principals are graduating on to the next level; Laurie Francis is leaving Del Mar Hills Academy to take the helm at Carmel Valley Middle School, replacing Michael Grove who is moving on to lead San Dieguito Academy.

Both principals say the move is like coming home as Francis is returning to the middle school level where she started out and Grove is returning to the high school where he had his first-ever teaching gig.

While Francis is just moving to a school across town, Grove is moving a little farther away which makes it tough to say goodbye to his staff, students and to the community.

"It's sad to leave the Carmel Valley community," said Grove. "It has been a fantastic experience."

While Francis is joining a whole new district, Grove is merely moving up in his. He has worked in the San Dieguito district for his entire career, starting out as a teacher for nine years at San Dieguito Academy and La Costa Canyon. He then served as an assistant principal for three years at Oak Crest Middle School in Encinitas before getting his first principal position at Carmel Valley.

"I couldn't have asked for a better place to start," said Grove of Carmel Valley. "It was incredible, it was a great place to start as a principal."

Grove has served as principal at Carmel Valley for the last six years. He said he has enjoyed most the relationship between the staff, parents and the kids, which over the years has really developed.

Parent Teacher Association President Comischell Rodriguez worked alongside Grove for three years with her involvement in the PTA, her two children passing through the school under his watch.

"Mike always made time to talk to parents and reassure them that their kids would indeed grow up to be wonderful people," said Rodriguez. "At a time when everyone is so nervous about what to expect next, he established confidence and assurance that everything would be okay. This is indeed a talent."

Middle school is such a transitional age and Rodriguez said that Grove helped inspire them and allowed them to explore their passions through the school's numerous lunchtime clubs and activities. She said he also made the campus feel safe and non-threatening and that his door was always open for students and parents alike.

"That's the hardest part about transitioning in the summer, I didn't get an opportunity to say goodbye in person," Grove said.

He said luckily, he is close enough to visit.

Francis, however, is staying very close. In fact at Carmel Valley Middle School, there's a good chance that she will see the faces of many former students when they come for seventh grade.

Francis spent seven years leaving her mark at Del Mar Hills; her handprint is even forever imprinted in the Helping Hands wall in the front of the school. She came to Del Mar after spending seven years as a middle school principal, the six years before that she taught at the middle school level.

"It's a dream experience," said Francis of Del Mar Hills. "I felt blessed coming in here and even more blessed seven years later."

Francis said the experience was heightened by her relationship with her "phenomenal" staff, the teachers that she said she would choose as friends, who were warm, hard-working team players who were always innovative in their instruction.

"It's hard to leave," said Francis. "It's bittersweet but it's also time."

She knows she is leaving the school in a stable position, saying it is poised for success. She said her leaving gives the opportunity for someone else to come in and offer a fresh pair of eyes, a new perspective.

At Carmel Valley, Francis will be the fresh pair of eyes, already last Thursday she was moving things into her new office, brightening up the room with a big pink flower. She is anxious for school to start on Aug. 25, to meet her students.

"I really, really enjoy middle school kids," said Francis. "I enjoy their humor and their candidness."

Francis said she also enjoys middle school teachers, as she said it's a certain breed that chooses to work at this transitional level. She said she feels blessed to walk into the school and come to work with another phenomenal staff; one she said has a great reputation.

"I feel like I'm just really, really lucky," Francis said.

The Del Mar Union School District is still coming up with a plan for her replacement.

"On behalf of the board, we wish her the best," said Annette Easton, board president. "She will be missed in our district."

Her strong leadership is something the board said they will miss most noting that Carmel Valley and the San Dieguito Union High School District is lucky to have her.