Friday marks the preferred deadline for candidates applying to become the next superintendent of the Santa Barbara Unified School District.
Board of Education President Pedro Paz presented a brief search update during Tuesday night’s meeting, since board members previously expressed an interest in keeping the public informed on the process.
The board has hired a search firm, Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates, to find a replacement for Superintendent Dave Cash, who is set to retire July 10.
While the district will still accept applications after Friday, Paz said, board members will get their first look at applicants later this week.
According to the search firm’s website, applications will be accepted until a contract is final.
“It’s an exciting period of time,” Paz said.
He noted the district also updated its online desired superintendent profile based on parent surveys.
Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates is the same Schaumberg, Ill.-based company the district paid to find Cash in 2011.
The board voted in January to pay a $20,000 consulting fee, with additional costs for advertising, candidate travel expenses, consultant expenses and background checks.
As with its last search, the district seems poised to use a confidential process, in which the names of candidates aren’t made public until a finalist is chosen.
— Noozhawk staff writer Gina Potthoff can be reached at gpotthoff@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.