Benicia Unified School District truustees will have another early start Thursday as they conduct a workshop with Bob Ferguson of McPherson & Jacobson LLC, the search firm that is helping the district find a replacement for retiring Superintendent Janice Adams.

The board heard a presentation from McPherson & Jacobson Feb. 5, at which time board President Gary Wing said trustees wanted to be as transparent as possible in their selection of a new superintendent.

Discussions during the workshop will include a timeline for making the decision — Adams officially steps down at the end of the semester, in June — advertising in media venues and identifying stakeholder groups.

At its regular meeting, the board will hear from Deputy Superintendent Michael Gardner about criteria for determining order of seniority for employees with the same date of first paid service.

“The California Education Code requires the Governing Board to determine needs and establish criteria and order of release for certificated employees who first provide service to the District in a probationary position on the same date,” Gardner wrote in a report to the board.

Resolution No. 14-15-10 states that Education Code section 44955 provides for the termination of certificated employees due to the reduction of particular kinds of services, with the order of termination generally based on the date a teacher first provided paid service in a probationary position. But when employees first rendered paid service to the district on the same date, the law requires that the board determine the order of termination solely on the basis of the needs of the district and its students.

To meet the requirements of section 44955, a points system is proposed to be used for determining seniority for those teachers hired on the same date. The person with the most points will have the greatest level of seniority.

For example, contracted teaching experience outside of the BUSD for one to six years equals one point, seven to 12 years two points, and 13 and more years three points.

If You Go
BUSD trustees will meet Thursday at 4 p.m. for an early workshop, then at 6 p.m. in a closed session, then in open session at 7 p.m in the BUSD board room, 350 East K St. For a complete agenda visit benicia.agendaonline.net/public.

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