Laguna Beach, Newport-Mesa school districts approve contracts for new administrators

The Laguna Beach Unified School District Board of Education Monday unanimously approved a contract for Jason Glass to serve as superintendent.

Glass will earn a base salary of $435,000 as part of a four-year agreement to lead the district beginning July 1.

The contract stipulates the superintendent will receive up to $30,000 in reimbursement for relocation expenses, as much as $10,000 per month for housing in the area for up to six months following the start of service time, and he will be entitled to 24 days of vacation per year.

Additionally, the superintendent will be provided with a laptop, tablet and cellphone.

Dee Perry, the president of the board, reported out of closed session on May 22 that the governing body decided to move forward with Glass. The district received interest from approximately 40 candidates, she said.

Glass most recently served as the vice president of teaching and learning at Western Michigan University. He also spent three years as a commissioner at the Kentucky Department of Education.

A search for a new superintendent got underway after the board executed a separation agreement in November with Jason Viloria, who had held the position since 2016. His contract terminated on Dec. 31.

A district spokesperson said Viloria’s salary was $352,021, based on the most recently approved contract.

Jeff Dixon, the assistant superintendent of business services, had stepped into a role as acting superintendent during the period of transition.

Dixon to move to NMUSD role

In a letter to district families on Friday, Dixon announced that he would be accepting a job with the Newport-Mesa Unified School District as assistant superintendent and chief business official.

Dixon looked back on his 11 years with the district and discussed what was around the corner in Laguna Beach in an interview on Monday.

Jeff Dixon, acting superintendent of the Laguna Beach Unified School District, during a board meeting on Monday.

(Andrew Turner)

“I think we made tremendous strides in sustainability, and that’s marked by our recognition as a [California Green Ribbon School] Green Achiever, but with that comes a lot of improved efficiencies operationally for the district,” said Dixon, whose last day on the job in Laguna Beach will be June 30.

“We built a lot of systems that allow us to be more efficient and adapt as changes come, whether that’s from the state or local level. I think one of the biggest things that we’ve really transformed here is getting away from reactive maintenance of our buildings and facilities and taking a much more proactive approach. That not only saves money, but it allows our instructional professionals to focus on instruction.”

The priority projects ahead in the district’s master plan include the pool, which school officials have said has reached the end of its useful life. Plans to modernize transitional kindergarten facilities are also in design, Dixon said.

Newport-Mesa Unified School District’s board on Tuesday night threw its support behind Dixon’s hiring, the contract representing a three-year agreement.

Dixon will make a starting salary of $296,330 at his new job, where he will be succeeding the retiring Jeff Trader as assistant superintendent and chief business official. According to a Laguna Beach Unified spokesperson, Dixon earned $282,639 based on his most recent contract with Laguna Beach.

The Newport-Mesa school district oversees 33 schools. Laguna Beach has four schools in its system.

“Laguna Unified is a community-funded district like ours, so it demonstrates that he has a deep knowledge of those things like cash flow [and] the importance of property value,” Newport-Mesa Unified Supt. Wesley Smith said. “We really appreciate that.”

Smith added that Dixon brings experience in facilities, food services, maintenance and risk management, all areas that the district would be “looking for leadership in” moving forward.

Newport-Mesa Unified is bringing in Tracy Knibb as assistant superintendent and chief human resources officer, a role she will take over for the retiring Leona Olson. The contract is also for an initial three-year term with a base salary of $296,330.

Knibb has served as the assistant superintendent of human resources for the Orange Unified School District since April 2023. She has also worked as an executive director of human resources, middle school principal and assistant principal, a program coordinator and a classroom teacher.