By David M. Greenwald
Davis, CA – The revolving door of Superintendents at DJUSD continues. John Bowes sent out a public email this morning announcing that he was taking a Superintendent position at Manhattan Beach Unified School District and will be leaving the district on August 6.
In an email to the public he stated with “mixed emotions,” “It has always been a goal of mine to return to southern California in order to be closer to family, and Manhattan Beach is another wonderful community I have the good fortune to join.”
He informed the board last night at a Special Meeting. The board intends to appoint Deputy Superintendent Matt Best as Interim Superintendent and will conduct “a robust nationwide search over the next few months.”
He said, “This process will involve input from key constituencies throughout the Davis community, including staff, parents, students and other stakeholders.”
Bowes said, “I am confident Deputy Superintendent Best will continue the great work already underway in DJUSD and ensure a smooth transition between Superintendents. Serving as your Superintendent has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career, and I am proud of the successes our District has achieved over the past five years. I look forward to following many more successes in the coming years.”
Bowes was hired in July 2016 following the departure of Winfred Roberson. With the new hire, it will mark the fifth superintendent since 2007.
—David M. Greenwald reporting
Besides staff, parents, and students who could possibly be the “other stakeholders”? I think we already know and saw it played out during the School Board trustee replacement debacle.
The taxpayers.
True, but let’s see how it plays out. In my opinion being a white applicant will be one strike against you, and if you’re a male it won’t help either. Do you disagree?
You forgot ‘cis’, bro.
You’re right Alan, ‘cis’, those dang people who have the audacity and privilege to actually identify with the sex they’re born with.
…and other interested community members.
I wonder if dis-interested community members are also stakeholders 😐
And what would be the interests of those not:
Teachers? Staff? Civil rights/equity activists? Taxpayers (as suggested in earlier post by another)? Other ‘community members’? Homeless folk?
The “stakeholder” term is very squishy…
To clarify, Hiram, not aimed at you in particular, but anyone who uses the term “stakeholders”
General comment on DJUSD superintendents… from 1980-2011, got to know most of them… interactions between City and DJUSD…
Most were ‘ladder-climbers’, and/or minorly competent and oft were involved in scandals/debacles/souring relations between City and DJUSD…
One exception… an “interim” who served between appointed superintendents… Floyd Fenocchio… he was aces…
My question: if the Deputy Superintendent isn’t the “Best” person (yeah, partly going for the pun), why was he named Deputy? An old litmus test for VP was, could they serve as president if “something happened”…
If a nation-wide search is necessary, not elevating others in-house, what does that tell us of the qualifications of the other Executive administrative staff?
Gets to Keith’s point, as well… will the Board use the recruitment/evaluation/appointment process for some purpose other than finding a competent replacement? Another “agenda”? At considerable cost and time…
I know little of Matt Best… but if the superintendent says,
I come to two thoughts… Best can do the job… but he has no freaking consideration as successor, apparently, otherwise Bowes might have recommended him… damning with faint (or feint?) praise?
If the Deputy is only qualified as a ‘relief pitcher’, why is he in the bullpen?
Generally, if someone ‘comes up thru the ranks’, and has the qualifications, there is less ‘turnover’…
Just saying…
Prior to 1970, DJUSD had three superintendents who served for ~15, 17, and 13 years. Since then superintendents have typically served 3-6 years and then move on to another district. Darrel Taylor served 10 years, David Murphy for 8. Although the day to day running of the school district doesn’t really feel different in the transitions between superintendents, I find that the style of running the district and the way it is talked about at an executive level feels disjointed when going from one superintendent to the next, especially when talking about the long term.
If a superintendent does have a long term vision for the school district, then it never really plays out. Here when I think of long term, I’m thinking of at least the time it takes for a kid to enter kindergarten to the time they graduate high school — 13 years.
Matt Best is certainly home grown. He has been in district since at least 2004 and was one of the founding teachers of Da Vinci. I got to know him at Da Vinci and then through Citrus Circuits robotics.
Does this mean the YCDIE will get active again?
Why would they get active on this? Superintendent is not an elected position…