Gilroy
– The search for a new superintendent of schools continues to
gather momentum after a major pow-wow this weekend.
Gilroy – The search for a new superintendent of schools continues to gather momentum after a major pow-wow this weekend.
Last night, Gilroy Unified School District board members interviewed two candidates for the interim superintendent position. Trustees picked their favorite candidate after the interviews and will make a job offer in the coming week. Whoever lands the job will take the reins from current superintendent Edwin Diaz, who will leave Gilroy in early March for a new position in Pasadena, and pass them on to the permanent replacement, expected to be on board by July.
The board received four resumes for the interim position, but chose to only interview the two people who had previous experience as an interim. The candidates’ names are confidential.
Trustee Pat Midtgaard checked references for one candidate and Bill Attea, one of the founders of the search firm selected to help the district find a permanent superintendent, checked the second person’s references. Both candidates checked out with glowing recommendations from their past employers, Attea and Midtgaard said at a special board retreat held Saturday.
At that retreat, Diaz presented a revised transition plan, detailing several arenas of school district business for the new interim superintendent to closely monitor. Diaz will spend three days working with the interim to prepare for the transition.
Business items Diaz recommended the interim be involved in included continued meetings with Gavilan College administrators, meetings with Jay Baksa, Gilroy’s city manager and maintaining regular meetings with principals and district administrators.
While the interim is in place, two top district administrators will retire. Olivia Schaad, director of curriculum and instruction, is retiring March 1. Schaad has also acted as interim assistant superintendent of educational services since Jacki Horejs became superintendent of another district, leaving the position open in December. Linda Piceno, assistant superintendent of human resources will retire in early June. Both Schaad and Piceno have agreed to come back after retirement for a certain amount of days to help in the transition process.
The interim superintendent will be announced within the next two weeks.
