The effectiveness and organizational heath of the VUSD is essential to the health and vitality of the greater Visalia community. All students benefit when they are educated in a school district in which the board, employee team, and community at large are unified in purpose, priorities, and direction.
The authority and responsibility for appointment of the superintendent lie solely with the Board of Trustees. Times of change in district leadership can create uncertainty, suspicion and division. These conditions can result in the erosion of effectiveness and quality of services provided to students, families and employees.
In as much a times of change can also provide opportunities for building unity of purpose and direction, we the undersigned strongly encourage the Board of Trustees to unanimously support a process for superintendent selection that provides for broad-based community involvement, including:
- Public input opportunities for all stakeholders:
- Parents and community members from every trustee area
- School district partners – public, private, and faith-based
- All employees- certificated, classified and management
- Surveys of stakeholder groups providing the opportunity to offer input personally, and anonymously if desired.
- Interview committee composed of representatives of all stakeholder groups including but not limited to:
- District PTA
- Visalia Education Foundation
- official District advisory groups
- official employee groups
- school district partners public, private, and faith-based
- local government
- local business representatives
- local non-profit organizations
- parents and community members from every trustee area
Thank you for your service to our community and commitment to the best interest of every student and family.
Respectfully,
Robert Line
Michael Olmos
Laurie Isham
Claudia Sherwood
Barb Johnson
Cathy Hall
Donna Martin
Victor Perez
Dianne Sharples
Pete Sherwood
Dorothy Downing
Craig Wheaton
Nina Clancy
Laura Pace
Steve Lamar
Nancy Moore
Jody Gilman
Carlyn Lambert
Don Groppetti
Eric Shannon
Drew Sorenson
Debra Dichiera
Cathy Lovell
John Lambert
Stanley S. Simpson
Dave Francis
Jim Wohlford
Charles Dichiera
Bret M. Bastrire
Stan Carrizosa
October 25, 2019