Board to Study Personnel Firms in Search for Schools Chief

The Beverly Hills Board of Education on Monday is expected to discuss hiring a company to help search for a new district superintendent in the wake of Supt. Sol Levine’s resignation.

Levine resigned at a special meeting Feb. 11 after 21 years in the district. The board voted 3 to 1 to accept his resignation.

The fact that the board called the meeting with only 24 hours notice angered some critics. They said the community should have been involved in discussions that preceded Levine’s resignation and that the board should have given earlier notice about the meeting.

Board members responded Friday by saying that state law allows them to discuss personnel matters privately.

School board President Virginia Maas said the meeting was scheduled with 24 hours’ notice at Levine’s request. Levine could not be reached for comment Friday.

Although critics have accused board members of forcing Levine out of office, Maas said, “We are not at war with the superintendent. We are functioning as efficiently and as cooperatively as we have ever done.”

At Monday’s meeting, the board will hear a report from consultant Eugene Tucker about personnel search companies. The meeting will be at 7:30 p.m. in the Salter Family Theater at Beverly Hills High School, 241 Moreno Drive.