Lake Tahoe Unified School District starts process of hiring new superintendent

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Board of Trustees from the Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) heard a presentation Tuesday about searching for the next superintendent.

LTUSD Superintendent Dr. James Tarwater submitted his resignation on June 21 after serving the South Lake Tahoe community since 2005. He gave the Board a one year notice, making his last day in June 2020.

Rich Fischer, former LTUSD superintendent and current El Dorado County Board of Education (EDCOE) trustee, outlined what the LTUSD board members could expect about the process most of them are facing for the first time. LTUSD Board Clerk Barbara Bannar was the only person on the board when they searched for Tarwater.

Fischer also works for Leadership Associates, a California-based company that specializes in superintendent searches.

The Board will need to decide soon what approach they will take to find Tarwater's successor. Fischer outlined three approaches they could consider: LTUSD conducts their own search, hire a head-hunter search firm, or let EDCO conduct the search.

“The El Dorado County Office of Education (EDCOE) believes that the selection of the Superintendent will be the most important decision of the Board. EDCOE fully supports the decision of the LTUSD Board to identify the best strategy to recruit the highest quality candidates and future leader of LTUSD.” Dr. Ed Manansala, County Superintendent of Schools

Fischer told the Board they need to decide what route they are taking in the next 60 days. They'll need to determine what characteristics, skills and qualities they'll be looking for. Dr. Tarwater has held several positions at a time while at the helm. At one time he was principal, superintendent, business director and human resources director.

If a search firm is hired, Fischer suggested they meet with staff, teachers, parents and the community to get input on what they'd desire in a leader. Also included in that mix should be Lake Tahoe Community College and the City of South Lake Tahoe City Manager, according to Fischer.

The board should plan on having applications returned no later than January so background checks can be completed and the Board can interview by around March.

At the latest, Fischer suggested the Board have someone hired by mid-April so they can be on the job by July 1, 2020.

"This is the toughest job I've ever had in all of my years in education," said Dr. Tarwater. He said there isn't a lot of leadership support for the superintendent position at LTUSD currently. He is still the head of human resources as well.

What makes up the ideal candidate and the process of hiring them will be decided at a future school board meeting.

Fischer also gave the Board a list of things to work on during the process. He said potential candidates will be looking for a good board, a district with solid finances, healthy employee relations, a solid leadership team and a strong District focus on students. He said the right candidate is probably happy where they currently are employed and it will take the right conditions to lure them away.