By Mary O’KEEFE

A meeting regarding the search for a new Glendale Unified School District superintendent was held at Crescenta Valley High School on July 9 at MacDonald Auditorium.

The audience was small, about a dozen people, but those who were there shared their opinions on what qualities they would like to see in a new superintendent. Former GUSD Superintendent Dr. Richard Sheehan left the district in June to take a job as superintendent at Covina-Valley Unified School District.

Thursday’s meeting was part of a series of community outreach conducted by McPherson and Jacobson, a search firm hired by the GUSD board. Bill Huyett, a former superintendent himself, conducted the meeting. The purpose was to get information on what local groups, parents and teachers are looking for in the new person who will lead the district.

The first thing mentioned was communication. They used the small turnout for the discussion as an example of the issues with communication.

“I got the (PhoneEd) call about this meeting this morning,” said one parent. Other parents read about the meeting in the paper and never received a call, and yet others had received a call from the district several days prior to the meeting.

There were general requirements also listed that included listening to parents and students – “really listen” Huyett reiterated.

A teacher who was present wanted to make certain that administrators stayed at schools instead of being moved around the district as has been the practice lately. She made the point that teachers don’t get close to administrators because they will be moved once they get to know them.

How to handle bullying was another issue that was brought up by a parent. Many parents from CV voiced their concerns about not feeling part of the district as a whole.

“We are up north,” said one parent of the description she has heard.

Those in the audience wanted to make certain that they, Crescenta Valley residents, would be taken into consideration when decisions are made.

CVHS and most elementary schools within the CV area are not Title One schools and do not get specific funding to help with programs that parents end up funding, like the CVHS robotics program.

In addition, the new superintendent will have to deal with construction at several local schools and the Sagebrush territorial transfer issue.

The audience did praise the district for its teachers and told Huyett that the Crescenta Valley community is strong and volunteering is very important.

“We are a family here,” said one of the parents.

  Mary Okeefe