LVUSD retains firm for help in superintendent search

By Stephanie Bertholdo bertholdo@theacorn.com

The Las Virgenes Unified School District board of education has retained the services of Leadership Associates to conduct a nationwide search for a new district superintendent.

John Fitzpatrick, LVUSD superintendent for nine years, retired a year early to accept the position of Superintendent in Residence at Pepperdine University, School of Education and Psychology, in Malibu. He will also teach courses in the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program.

Donald Zimring, deputy superintendent, is serving as interim superintendent. Members of the board discussed several issues regarding Leadership Associates at last week’s meeting. While some were concerned that the firm might be opposed to staging more than two public meetings, it was determined that the information they provided was just an outline subject to the needs and wants of the school board.

In a press release Judy Jordan, LVUSD board president, said, "We are pleased to partner with a respected, top-level firm as Leadership Associates in our search for the new superintendent. They are one of the premier providers of senior-level and superintendent search services." She added that the company has experience in K-12 education and nationwide connections.

The superintendent search will be multilevel and include the input of all "stakeholders," including teachers, parents, students, city officials and community leaders.

"While our goal is to identify and secure the right person expeditiously, we will not rush the process," Jordan said. "We will stay the course until we find the person who can lead the district into the next stage of excellence in education."

According to the district press release, Leadership Associates was established in 1995 and has conducted more than 120 superintendent searches in California.

Two former superintendents run Leadership Associates—Jake Abbott, former superintendent of the Fresno school district, and Jim Brown, former superintendent of the Glendale school district. They said they’re confident that they will recruit excellent candidates for the position in LVUSD.

For further information on Leadership Associates, visit www.leadershipassociates.org.