This story has been updated regarding a public comment period for the closed session items.
UPPER LAKE, Calif. – The board of the new Upper Lake Unified School District this week will consider a proposed contract with a retired county school superintendent to lead the district over the next several months.
The board will meet in closed session at 4:15 p.m. before convening the public portion of the meeting at 5 p.m. in the library at Upper Lake High School, 675 Clover Valley Road, on Tuesday, Jan. 12.
For members of the public who want to make comments on the closed session discussion, they should appear at the start of the meeting at 4:15 p.m.
In closed session, Board members Keith Austin, Don Meri, Mel O’Meara, Claudine Pedroncelli and Diane Plante will continue their discussion regarding the hiring of a superintendent for the new district, and also will discuss who to hire for chief business official and secretarial support.
The district's formation will become final in July, once the separate elementary and high school districts formally cease to exist.
In the months ahead, the district needs a superintendent to guide the new district through a series of steps in its formation.
Lake County Superintendent of Schools Brock Falkenberg suggested at the board's initial meeting last month that it consider four options for the selection of the district's first superintendent: hiring current administrative staff, hiring a temporary superintendent, hiring a consultant, or having Falkenberg fill the role temporarily, in addition to his other duties.
Upper Lake High Principal/Superintendent Patrick Iaccino has come forward as a candidate from the current administration.
Iaccino has strong support from staff and faculty, who wrote to the board last month to express their desire that he be the one to lead the new district in its initial, formative years.
During a closed session at the board's Dec. 22 meeting, Iaccino was interviewed in closed session, as was Wally Holbrook, the retired county of superintendent of schools who preceded Falkenberg in the office.
While at the last meeting the board announced no formal decision, at the Tuesday meeting they will consider approving a contract with Education Leadership Solutions, headed by Holbrook.
The contract is proposed to run from Jan. 12 through June 30, and not to exceed 250 hours, at a cost of $100 per hour, for a total contract amount of $25,000.
Holbrook is offering to assist the district with establishing principles and practices for operation, training the new board, developing a 100-day transition plan along with options for the administrative organizational structure, creation of board policies and procedures, assisting in the recruitment of a new superintendent, developing a draft budget, and representing the board in functions and interactions with official agencies.
On Tuesday, the board also is set to consider approving a retainer agreement for legal services with School and College Legal Services of Santa Rosa.
The proposed agreement, which would date from Jan. 4, would be ongoing for up to four years and may be modified by mutual written agreement of the firm and the school district.
The board is to determine the retainer amount, calculated at $215 per hour, with a minimum of 20 hours. Retainer amounts listed in the document range from 30 hours for $6,450 up to 300 hours at $64,500.
In other business, the board will consider approving a contract for services with the California School Boards Association and get a report from Lake County Office of Education staffer April Leiferman on the change from the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to the Every Student Succeeds Act.
There also will be time for reports from Falkenberg and individual board members.
The board is set to meet again later in the month, on Jan. 26.
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