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Las Virgenes superintendent seeking job in Colorado By Stephanie Bertholdo bertholdo@theacorn.com
"The Boulder position seemed to meet some personal family goals, even if not perhaps in good timing, (so) I decided to apply," Smyser said. In her application to the Boulder Valley School District, Smyser elaborated on those goals. "I would like to work at least 15 years in Colorado, where my husband has business opportunities," Smyser said. Her son is a college student in Colorado and plans to settle there, she said. Consultants Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates placed Smyser on the short list of candidates for the position after conducting a national search. "I was aware of the Colorado law requiring the finalists' names to be made public," Smyser said. "I notified the board members immediately when I knew that I was a finalist." If hired, Smyser would head a district about twice the size of Las Virgenes. Las Virgenes serves 12,100 students while Boulder Valley oversees 28,200 students. Smyser is up against James Hammond, superintendent of the 2,200-student Tukwila School District in Washington, and Chris King, Boulder Valley's deputy superintendent, for the position. George Garcia, Boulder Valley's current superintendent, is retiring this year. "(The Las Virgenes) district is excellent--the board, the employees, the families and the communities," Smyser said. "I am very pleased to work here and we have accomplished a lot of good things in the last two years." Smyser listed several accomplishments in her application, from the successful passage of the $128-million bond Measure G to assembling a technology team that will use the money for a districtwide technology overhaul and other infrastructure improvements. She also noted her role in the collaboration by the cities of Calabasas, Hidden Hills, Agoura Hills and Westlake Village and the school district "in a first-ever joint project to support technology." "I am proud of this project because it is a huge, districtchanging project that was long overdue," she said in the application. "It has required soliciting resources from everywhere and developing a large base of political and community support." "In Sandra we see a superb leader," said Las Virgenes School Board President Terilyn Finders. "Excellent leadership is recognized, so it doesn't surprise us that she's being sought after." Finders said Smyser was thoughtful, caring and smart, and brought a "quiet strength" to the district. Smyser was also instrumental in transforming a model for a charter school into an alternative elementary school, scheduled to open in the fall. Smyser's background in special education is another quality valued by school districts throughout the nation, but has been especially appreciated in the Las Virgenes district where special education students comprise 15 percent of the total school population, versus 5 percent statewide. "Sandra has worked with this board and shaped the organization's values and dynamics, chief among them the notion that all programs and services should help all students realize their potential," Finders said. "We're moving forward, we're accomplishing lots of exciting things, and we have positive working relationships," Smyser said of her work in Las Virgenes. "The opportunity to relocate comes sooner than I had planned, but was a possibility that I decided not to pass up," Smyser said. Teachers, parents and community members in Boulder Valley will question the finalists. A decision is expected to be reached by the end of this month. |
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