GUSD superintendent expected to leave district

Glendale Supt. Richard Sheehan is expected to accept a job to head up the troubled Covina-Valley Unified School District this evening.

The San Gabriel Valley district, which made national news earlier this year for a series of sex scandals, called for a special meeting Tuesday evening to discuss the hire. Though it does not list the potential compensation, the closed session agenda item mentions a three-year contract starting July 1.

Sheehan, who lives in Covina, said the superintendent position represented a chance to go home. He worked for 17 years in the district as well as attending Covina-Valley schools from kindergarten through high school.

“I’m most proud of the progress the kids are showing,” he said of his time in Glendale. “It’s a great district with great people.“

Sheehan’s current contract, which began in January, states his annual base rate is $266,500. Though it is scheduled to run through 2018, the contract states it can be cancelled by mutual agreement of both the Glendale board of education and Sheehan.

According to several sources, the superintendent, who has led Glendale since 2010, has been meeting with district principals and other officials to let them know he was considering making the move. Several emails had also been sent out to PTA officials to give those parents a heads-up.

The current Covina superintendent, Catherine Nichols, announced plans to retire in March. Her current salary was not immediately available.

Prior to coming to Glendale, Sheehan held several positions at the Covina district, including principal of Northview High School and a teacher and football coach at Covina High, where he won a CIF championship and coach of the year honors in 1995.

Sheehan takes the reigns of a district with significant issues.

Earlier this month, the son of a Covina teachers’ union leader was arrested on suspicion of molesting a 14-year-old girl during a middle school class trip to Catalina.

In March, two teachers pleaded not guilty to their involvement in a beach party where high school students were allegedly provided with cocaine. One of the two women is accused of having sex with a 17-year-old at the San Clemente bacchanal while the other acted as a matchmaker.

And in January, a male girl’s wrestling coach at South Hills High was accused of having sex with a high school student. The part-time coach, who has pleaded not guilty, was fired by the district, while the two teachers resigned.

The special meeting is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. at 519 E. Badillo St. in Covina.

The GUSD board also scheduled a special meeting this evening to discuss hiring a new superintendent.

Sheehan said the board will focus on hiring a search firm, and that representatives from the finalists would be interviewed during a public meeting.