The Eugene 4J school board unanimously voted Wednesday to start the process of finding a new superintendent.
The school board will use a committee of its own members and a search firm to find its new leader.
Chair Jenny Jonak said an outside firm should help with recruitment.
“I know I personally love the idea of a search firm, because I think that having professionals involved gives us the widest range of potential applicants and outreach,” Jonak said.
Eugene’s last superintendent search took more than two years and was bogged down by conflict between school board members. The previous firm the district worked with urged school board members to resolve the dysfunction before choosing a leader.
That search led to the hiring of Andy Dey, who agreed to mutually part ways with the district earlier this year after complaints of bullying and retaliation.
The school board appears to be in a better position now than when it launched its previous search. Meetings run on schedule with little interruption or conflict. Only two of the board members involved in the previous search, Maya Rabasa and Judy Newman, are still in office.
Eugene 4J is now led by Colt Gill - a retired state education official who agreed to take over until the district could find a permanent superintendent.
The superintendent search committee, which will develop a timeline, criteria and other logistical details, will hold their first meeting Friday. All their recommendations will be approved by the full school board during public meetings.
