The Hollister School District Board of Trustees has selected a
top candidate to replace out-going Superintendent Judith Barranti
and will begin negotiations this week.
The Hollister School District Board of Trustees has selected a top candidate to replace out-going Superintendent Judith Barranti and will begin negotiations this week.
The hiring will be made on an interim basis as the search for a permanent replacement continues. District officials declined to name the candidate before negotiations are completed.
Assistant Superintendent Peter Guitierrez, who was not approached by board members to fill the vacancy, says he is looking for a superintendent job outside the district. He declined to comment on why he did not apply for the position, but said he looked forward to working with the new superintendent.
“I will give my full support to the interim superintendent,” Guitierrez said.
The interim superintendent could be hired within the week during an emergency board meeting, Guitierrez said. He had not spoken with board members and was not sure if the decision would be postponed until the next scheduled board meeting on Aug. 23.
Guitierrez called almost a dozen candidates recommended by various professional organizations to find out if they were interested in the position. He was not involved in the interview process, but said the board probably interviewed five or six candidates.
Board members Randal Phelps and Dee Brown said they did not have time to comment on the interim superintendent. Three other board members could not be reached for comment.
After three years with the district, Barranti announced her resignation in July, effective today. She will be taking a lower paying job as a district administrator at an unidentified Bay Area school district. Barranti had two years remaining on her contract. Her decision to leave was unrelated to the district’s financial crisis, she told the Free Lance in July.
The board has been searching to fill many of the district’s top leadership positions for the last three months. It is currently looking for a chief business officer and a director of human resources.
The district, which has been using reserves to cover deficits for at least two years, recently received a “qualified” financial certification by the San Benito County Office of Education. This means the district “may not” be able to meet financial obligations for the current year or two following years.
Board of Trustees President Margie Barrios said in July that school board members are working toward, and will submit, a balanced a budget to avoid state intervention.
Hollister is not the only district in the red. According to the state controller’s report, 33 percent of California’s public school districts have dipped into reserves to balance their budgets. The report identified 14 districts that are expecting to run out of money in the next two years, and 65 districts, like Hollister, reported the possibility that their expenses would outpace revenues within that time.
The Hollister School District Board of Trustees solved a $1 million deficit by dipping into its reserves and narrowly passing a $42 million budget in June.
Brett Rowland covers education for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 330 or [email protected].
