Ontario-Montclair begins superintendent search
ONTARIO - The Ontario-Montclair School District has taken its first step toward finding a replacement for Superintendent Virgil Barnes.
At Thursday's meeting, board members approved hiring a consultant to search for a new superintendent.
"Staff will then present to the board members a list of search firms and their fees at a future board meeting," board President Sam Crowe said.
"The board will then select a search firm from the list."
Barnes is scheduled to retire at the end of the school year, once he has completed the terms of his contract.
Although it is months before Barnes leaves, the process of finding a superintendent can take up to five or six months, said California School Boards Association consultant Laun Rivera.
"(Virgil) Barnes is an excellent superintendent and there have been so many superintendent searches lately I don't know if there are a lot of people out there," he said.
The board meeting also included a public hearing for the Life Empowerment International Charter Academy, which expects to serve 200 K-3 students.
School officials say, if approved, the charter school will open the 2010-11 school year at the Life Changing Ministries site at 1801 E. D St.
The charter petition proposed to eventually serve a grade K-5 with a population of 320 student at full capacity.
The petition to approve the charter school has been delayed in the past because of a number of issues.
The issues have all been resolved, said David Horn, lead petitioner and Life Changing Ministries pastor.
However, board member David Campio said he still has concerns about the charter school.
"I take the separation of church and state very seriously," he said. "I have a problem with the executive figure in the school calling himself pastor in a public school and how is he going to change his lifestyle to address those issues."
Consideration of the charter school is expected to return to the board as a future agenda item for board action, given there are other issues.
At Thursday's meeting, board members approved hiring a consultant to search for a new superintendent.
"Staff will then present to the board members a list of search firms and their fees at a future board meeting," board President Sam Crowe said.
"The board will then select a search firm from the list."
Barnes is scheduled to retire at the end of the school year, once he has completed the terms of his contract.
Although it is months before Barnes leaves, the process of finding a superintendent can take up to five or six months, said California School Boards Association consultant Laun Rivera.
"(Virgil) Barnes is an excellent superintendent and there have been so many superintendent searches lately I don't know if there are a lot of people out there," he said.
The board meeting also included a public hearing for the Life Empowerment International Charter Academy, which expects to serve 200 K-3 students.
School officials say, if approved, the charter school will open the 2010-11 school year at the Life Changing Ministries site at 1801 E. D St.
The charter petition proposed to eventually serve a grade K-5 with a population of 320 student at full capacity.
The petition to approve the charter school has been delayed in the past because of a number of issues.
The issues have all been resolved, said David Horn, lead petitioner and Life Changing Ministries pastor.
However, board member David Campio said he still has concerns about the charter school.
"I take the separation of church and state very seriously," he said. "I have a problem with the executive figure in the school calling himself pastor in a public school and how is he going to change his lifestyle to address those issues."
Consideration of the charter school is expected to return to the board as a future agenda item for board action, given there are other issues.
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