Superintendent hunt continues on Tuesday

Four national search agencies for the hiring of a new school superintendent will be reviewed at Tuesday’s Douglas County School Board meeting.

The search for a new superintendent began in December 2023 after Keith Lewis was pressured to resign.

The position was posted on the Douglas County School District website and closed a month later, with the board claiming they found their potential candidates and were brought forward at a special meeting on Feb. 6

After three hours of interviews and discussion, the board voted 4-3 to offer former San Joaquin Superintendent John Ramirez Jr. the position for Douglas County School District, despite public pleas to delay the process.

The board was scheduled to approve the contract for Ramirez during the Feb. 13 board meeting, but one was never presented and it ended up being rejected.

Trustee Doug Englekirk made a motion to reject the contract, seconded by Linda Gilkerson. Trustees Carey Kangas, Yvonne Wagstaff and Susan Jansen voted in favor. Trustee Katherine Dickerson voted against rejecting the contract while chairman David Burns abstained.

Englekirk, made a motion to establish a procedure for the selection of a new superintendent and to discuss the process at the March 12 meeting. Trustee Wagstaff second the motion.

The agencies are posted on the Douglas County School Board’s agenda.

During Tuesday’s meeting, the board will review and discuss the procedure for selecting a new district duperintendent, explore and define specific steps, consider a national firm to help with the search, and take possible action.

For more information visit https://meetings.boardbook.org/Public/Agenda/1502?meeting=623722 under agenda item six.