Board Endorses School Chief Search Firm

SIMI VALLEY —  After hourlong interviews of four superintendent search firms, the Simi Valley board of education endorsed the San Leandro-based Visionary Group.

But the board did not vote Friday night on whether to actually hire the company, which bid $17,000 to conduct a nationwide search to find a new leader for the 19,400-student Simi Valley Unified School District. Members only decided to think about it until their next meeting.

The Mercer Group, Giles and Associates and the California School Boards Assn. were ruled out.

Meanwhile, an independent party--most likely the district’s lawyer--will conduct background checks on Dan Flynn, a Thousand Oaks Republican who interviewed for the schools’ chief post earlier last week.

So far, Flynn has been the only person to be interviewed by the board, despite protests from many teachers’ groups and liberal-leaning board members Carla Kurachi and Diane Collins.

Board member Caesar Julian said Saturday he was impressed with the Visionary Group because the company draws from educational leaders around the country, as well as those with business backgrounds.

He is not wedded to either Flynn or a search company, he said, adding that he wants what is best for the district. That can only be achieved by “not jumping to anything,” he said.

On Saturday, Kurachi sat outside the Target store on Cochran Street, collecting signatures and comments from people interested in voicing their opinion on whether the board should consider Flynn for the job or hire a search firm.

The nearly two dozen people who came, she said, were unanimous in desiring an extensive, nationwide hunt to find a superintendent. Many also said they wanted board members to unify in their efforts.