Special Meeting Today: Next Steps In Search For Sonoma Valley Unified School Superintendent

SONOMA VALLEY, CA — The Sonoma Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees will hold a special meeting 2 p.m. today to review the search for a new superintendent and consider hiring consultants to help the district in its search for candidates to fill the role.

Trustees will consider approving a $20,000 agreement with Ron Calloway, former superintendent of Mark West Union School District in Santa Rosa, and Mark Mahoney, a Windsor-based consultant who has assisted multiple districts with superintendent searches, to serve as consultants for the superintendent search.

They would help with the screening process and decision making. Their consulting agreement, dated to begin on Nov. 11, would be capped at $20,000 and end when a new superintendent is hired.

Mahoney has said he charges between $10,000 and $18,000 for his services.

Brandon Krueger from the Sonoma County Office of Education was helping with the search process, but resigned from the role for personal reasons, the Sonoma Valley Unified School District stated in a news release on Nov. 4, the Sonoma Index-Tribune reported.

Rena Seifts, the school district business manager, stepped in as the district’s acting superintendent after Jeanette Rodriguez-Chien resigned, according to reports.

Stakeholder input will be discussed following the agreement item.

Trustees will report next steps after a closed session, followed by public comments.

The Nov. 18 meeting will held at 2 p.m. at the Sonoma Valley Unified School District offices, 17859 Railroad Ave., Sonoma, and on Zoom at https://sonomaschools-org.zoom.us/j/96464781515.