LOWER LAKE, Calif. – With the Konocti Unified School District’s superintendent planning to retire at the end of the school year, the board is preparing to begin the recruitment to find her successor.
Donna Becnel, now in her seventh year with the district and in the 35th year of her K-12 educational career, told Lake County News that she’s retiring in June.
On Jan. 11, during a special meeting, the district’s board of trustees considered information about three search firms and decided to hire Education Leadership Solutions – a locally based company – to lead the recruitment, Becnel said.
Becnel said the firm charges hourly, and it’s estimated that the maximum cost will be $12,000.
She explained that, once the consulting firm is hired, it will meet with the board to develop goals for the recruitment.
The district will then hold meetings at which Becnel said community members and employees can give input on what they would like to see in a new superintendent. Those meetings should be taking place within the next month.
From that input, Becnel said the board will create a list of final characteristics they’re seeking in a new superintendent, and then will develop an employment advertisement.
Becnel said she will work with the consultant on a recruitment timeline to bring back to the board at its Feb. 6 meeting.
She said the goal is that by the end of May a contract with a new superintendent will go to the board.
Becnel said the district is the biggest in the county by student population, now around 3,550 pupils. It’s also one of the county’s biggest employers, with more than 400 employees. The district has a $40 million annual budget.
During Becnel’s tenure, the district established a magnet medical high school and Konocti Education Center, both of which are doing great, she said. The magnet medical high school, working in conjunction with Woodland Community College, received a middle college grant which allows students to get associate degrees.
In the last seven years, the district also has undertaken major modernization projects, including new buildings and upgrades to existing facilities.
The district is just now in the process of its second issuance of bond funds, according to Becnel.
“We are continuing to grow and so we are continuing add on additional classrooms,” Becnel said.
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Konocti Unified starts superintendent search
- Elizabeth Larson
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