Carmel Unified School District board decides not to appoint superintendent, instead plans public hearings.

When the board of Carmel Unified School District met on Wednesday, Nov. 15, the first speaker of the night set the tone for a litany of critiques of the board's process for appointing a superintendent. 

“I am disappointed in the board professing transparency and the importance of community input and now moving into closed session to appoint a superintendent, without hearing from the community," said Marcus Michie, the student representative to the board. (He holds a non-voting role.) "Multiple teachers, staff and students have come to me to express a similar sentiment." 

Board member Karl Pallastrini responded: "Yes, I hear you."

It seems the board did hear concerns that were reflected in comments from CUSD parents and staff throughout the evening's meeting.

They convened for two-and-a-half hours in closed session, and when they emerged from closed session, board President Sara Hinds had just a brief announcement on one item: "The board did not take action to appoint a superintendent in closed session. A discussion regarding plans on public input on priorities to select a superintendent will be agendized for a special open session meeting as soon as possible."

The district has churned through superintendent leadership in recent years, and in August, after former superintendent Ted Knight resigned, the board appointed deputy superintendent Sharon Ofek as acting superintendent, then made her interim superintendent. They then voiced plans two months ago to appoint her as superintendent, forgoing a wider recruitment and search process.

That plan drew multiple critics to the podium on Wednesday. 

"None of this is about Sharon or her performance—it’s that the board seems to be making decisions alone, behind closed doors," said Lisa Brazil, speaking on behalf of the California School Employees Association membership. "At CSEA, every decision we make is voted on in public—nothing is done without the membership’s knowledge.

"We strongly disagree with this lack of transparency…In contrast to the last [superintendent hiring process there were] no town hall meetings, no open forums, or requests to hear from staff or students. 

"What there have been, apparently, are private conversations, with a select group of people you chose to talk to."

She was referring to opening remarks from board members who followed Michie, expressing that they had already heard feedback from the community regarding the appointment. 

"These last couple of weeks I have heard from many stakeholders," said board member Seaberry Nachbar. "There are a lot of concerns about the process and I will definitely take this into consideration. I’ve also heard a tremendous amount of support and positivity."

Hinds said she had been on the phone extensively receiving feedback on the appointment. "I want to acknowledge these very poignant conversations—you are being heard," she said. "Your thoughts and your views are very important to me. I want to make sure community members and stakeholders know their voices are being heard. Thank you for reaching out, please continue to reach out."

Speaking during the public comment period, Tamara Michie, president of the Carmel High School PTO, said: "The board has not reached out to stakeholders in any meaningful way. We do not want to repeat the same superintendent hiring mistakes over and over again."

Knight was hired on May 26, 2021 and served for just over two years (including the final two-month period of his tenure when he was on leave). He was CUSD's sixth superintendent since 2015, when Marvin Biasotti retired. Next came Scott Laurence, located by a search firm, who held the job for one year; then interim superintendent Karen Henricks for one-and-a-half years; then Barbara Dill-Varga, also recruited by a search firm, who held the job for three years, from July 2017-June 2020, and agreed to resign two years before the end of her contract. Trisha Dellis served as a temporary interim before Knight was hired.