Parents air wish list for new Cardiff schools chief

ENCINITAS — Cardiff School District trustees agreed Tuesday to advertise a negotiable, base salary of 127000 for a

new superintendent as parents and teachers debated the kinds of qualities the administrator should possess.

ENCINITAS — Cardiff School District trustees agreed Tuesday to advertise a negotiable, base salary of $127,000 for a new superintendent as parents and teachers debated the kinds of qualities the administrator should possess.

The pending resignation in June of Superintendent Vince Jewell has raised questions of whether the two-school district of 735 students —- with two principals, a superintendent, business manager and accountant —- has a top-heavy administration.

Some of the questions Tuesday came from parents who said they represented the district’s “core volunteers,” whose fundraising pays for physical education, science, computer, music and art programs.

Those kinds of programs are critical, and volunteers are weary of asking fellow parents to pay for them, said parent Nadine Gnall.

“Certain things should be funded by the school district and not be put on the parents,” Gnall said.

Gnall made her remarks to Justin Cunningham, the Cardiff district’s consultant for the superintendent search and the coordinator of small school district services with the county Office of Education.

After the board meeting, Cunningham moderated a workshop in which parents said the new superintendent should have the skills of a business executive.

The schools chief also should play a part in motivating parents to give of their time and money, some parents said.

They said they were especially concerned that private donations paid the physical education teacher’s salary.

“Our concern is, if we don’t fund it, our kids won’t have it,” said a woman who identified herself as treasurer of the Parent-Staff Organization.

Parents noted that the district has seen a number of superintendents come and go in recent years and asked that the new chief make a long-term commitment to the district.

The superintendent should “not be afraid to bash heads with anybody (and) make sure everyone’s accountable,” another parent said.

The administrator should be an approachable and highly visible collaborator who avoids developing personal relationships with district employees and families, parents agreed.

Bob Bonde of the Encinitas Taxpayers Association suggested that the district save money on costly employee benefits by hiring private-sector companies to complete routine tasks.

By reducing administrative salaries, the district could resurrect its busing program and relieve traffic on city streets, Bonde said.

Cunningham told parents that in Cardiff, the per-student costs of administration “is by no means higher than average.”