Hunting For New School Leaders

Five of Orange County’s 28 school districts are searching this spring for new superintendents to lead their school systems, a job that has become increasingly tough to fill in California.

The Huntington Beach City School District, Fullerton School District, Brea Olinda Unified, Centralia and Saddleback Valley Unified are all looking for chiefs.

Districts across California find themselves in the same position, which has created strong competition for good candidates. And with fewer and fewer school administrators willing to take on the top job, the shortage is growing worse.

“This is indicative of what’s to come in California,” said Richard Loveall, director of executive search services for the California School Boards Assn. “The superintendency is not nearly as stable as it once was.”

Throughout the state, superintendents are reaching retirement age and fleeing their chaotic district offices for lucrative consulting jobs or to spend time with spouses and grandchildren.

At the same time, fewer and fewer teachers and principals are taking district-level administrative jobs, alarmed by increasing pressures and high turnover, Loveall said.

Compounding it all is the high cost of living in California, which makes it hard to lure administrators here. In fact, out-of-state districts are recruiting California superintendents because of their valuable experience.

“I’ve got some concern,” said James R. Reed, president of the board of the Brea Olinda Unified School District. “We’ve got to get the right person for the job and . . . we’ve got a short window.”

Peggy Lynch, who has led Brea Olinda for the last six years, is taking the top job at a larger district in San Diego County. Superintendents at both Centralia and Saddleback died this year. Duane Dishno, 59, of the Huntington Beach City district and Ron Cooper, 58, of the Fullerton district are retiring.

“The job is a very difficult one,” said Konnie Gault, spokeswoman for the Fullerton School District. “They look around at their colleagues and a couple have died this year, and I think they are looking to do something good for themselves.”

William Manahan, who has been acting superintendent of the Saddleback Unified School District since Peter Hartman died suddenly last winter, said board members want to hire someone over the summer.

“It’s never an easy time to look for a superintendent,” he said. “And there’s not a whole lot of applicants like there used to be.”