The Riverbank school district's search for a superintendent now that Joe Galindo has announced he will retire this July drew several comments at the March 4 board meting.
A spokesperson for the California School Employees Association said the local unit, representing everybody from janitors to clerks and bus drivers, wanted to have a hand in that selection and talk to the candidates before the choice was made.
Riverbank Teachers Association president Cox Thornton said his group of certificated staff also wishes to participate in the selection process.
Addressing the different subject of interdistrict student transfers, Thornton noted the district's enrollment is still dropping and he finds its student transfer policy "very liberal," so he recommended the board consider revising it as the superintendent recommended last year.
Trustee Pat Blount recommended accepting the remaining administrators offer to share the extra work of a superintendent between them until the district could hire a permanent replacement rather than expending funds on hiring an interim superintendent.
The district has an outstanding team of administrators, she added, and at a time when the district is facing budget cuts of $1.5 million and two major construction projects besides the search for a superintendent, it seems wise to save all the funds it can.
On another note, Blount complained that in 15 years of service on the board she has never been so concerned as in the past three years about the misinformation and accusations going around.
"My family and I have been called trailer park trash and drug addicts on the Internet and my son (Cohen who ran for the school board) has been slandered," she said. "I know who they are (the accusers). ... It's time to clean up the district and do what is right for the district."
A spokesperson for the California School Employees Association said the local unit, representing everybody from janitors to clerks and bus drivers, wanted to have a hand in that selection and talk to the candidates before the choice was made.
Riverbank Teachers Association president Cox Thornton said his group of certificated staff also wishes to participate in the selection process.
Addressing the different subject of interdistrict student transfers, Thornton noted the district's enrollment is still dropping and he finds its student transfer policy "very liberal," so he recommended the board consider revising it as the superintendent recommended last year.
Trustee Pat Blount recommended accepting the remaining administrators offer to share the extra work of a superintendent between them until the district could hire a permanent replacement rather than expending funds on hiring an interim superintendent.
The district has an outstanding team of administrators, she added, and at a time when the district is facing budget cuts of $1.5 million and two major construction projects besides the search for a superintendent, it seems wise to save all the funds it can.
On another note, Blount complained that in 15 years of service on the board she has never been so concerned as in the past three years about the misinformation and accusations going around.
"My family and I have been called trailer park trash and drug addicts on the Internet and my son (Cohen who ran for the school board) has been slandered," she said. "I know who they are (the accusers). ... It's time to clean up the district and do what is right for the district."
