SEQUIM — Sequim School Board members will seek community input before considering a contract renewal with interim Superintendent Rob Clark.
A survey concerning Clark will go out to parents/guardians and be available on the school district’s website tentatively this week.
Clark was hired five months ago to lead the district following the departure of former Superintendent Gary Neal.
Board directors unanimously agreed Monday to send out the survey and meet in executive session at a date to be determined to discuss Clark’s contract.
Directors indicated they’d like to make a decision at their next meeting, set for Monday, Dec. 16.
“Acknowledging we’re in a bit of honeymoon period with Dr. Clark, I feel seeking stakeholder input is important,” past board president Brian Kuh said.
However, Kuh said he likes Clark’s work so far.
“I’d vote to extend his contract based on my interactions with him,” Kuh said.
Clark’s contract currently has him working through June 30, 2020.
He told the board on Monday he admires them seeking input and if they were to offer him a contract it should run through June 30, 2021.
“I really think as long as you have me, then it should be an annual update,” he said.
Clark also recommended to the board reviewing his contract again in October 2020 to see if they want to keep him on another year; if not, that would be the best time to get into early pools for superintendent searches.
Board member Larry Jeffryes agreed with seeking more community input and that doing a superintendent search and a bond proposal in 2020 “could be daunting and overwhelming.”
New board president Brandino Gibson encouraged fellow board members to seek feedback on Clark from the community.
“I’ve done a lot of hiring in my life and it’s a whole lot easier and cheaper to keep good employees than to go find someone better,” he said.
Board members and staff will compile the short online questionnaire.
In addition to discussions about Clark’s contract, Clallam County Superior Court Judge Brent Basden swore in new and existing board members for 2020, including new members Eric Pickens, Larry Jeffryes and incumbent Jim Stoffer who won their election races in November.
Gibson was unanimously voted board president and Pickens vice president.
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Matthew Nash is a reporter with the Olympic Peninsula News Group, which is composed of Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum. Reach him at mnash@sequimgazette.com.
