Clovis parents, make sure you are heard about what you want in your next school leader | Opinion

One of the top jobs in California education became available Thursday when Eimear O’Brien announced she would step down as superintendent of Clovis Unified at the end of this school year.

Her reason was deeply personal and yet one so many people can relate to: O’Brien said her “almost 85-year-old mother” simply needs help.

“She needs the loving care of her daughter,” said the 59-year-old O’Brien in her native Irish lilt, noting her mother continues to live in Ireland. O’Brien plans to visit her more frequently than she has been able to do while running California’s 15th-largest school district.

O’Brien has led Clovis Unified and its 43,000 students for six years, and in that time the district has amassed a treasure’s chest of honors, including three national Blue Ribbon awards and 13 California Distinguished School awards.

She was also the public face of the successful 2020 campaign to pass Measure A, the $335 million bond that is being used to modernize campuses.

“This has truly been the greatest privilege of my life, serving as the leader of the Clovis Unified School District,” O’Brien told a hastily called news conference to announce her decision.

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As to the timing, O’Brien explained that Clovis Unified tries to have its top administrators — be they principals or those in the administrative office — in place when the next school year begins. By announcing in January, she gives the school board adequate time to advertise the job and review applicants.

It should draw no shortage of interest. Clovis Unified has well-maintained campuses with amazing athletic facilities, such as the Clovis West aquatics center and Buchanan High’s Veterans Memorial Stadium and its football field and all-weather track. It boasts dedicated staff.

Perhaps most attractive to job-seekers, the district has top-notch academic performance. It places in the top 10% of California’s public districts when it comes to performance on test scores, according to the education website Public School Review.

Suffice to say that O’Brien has maintained Clovis Unified’s momentum during her time as its eighth superintendent. Her successor will face the challenge of continuing the legacy.

Parents must be heard

Joining O’Brien at the news conference was school board President David DeFrank. He said the trustees will gather Monday to discuss how to conduct the search for the new superintendent.

When asked how much input parents would have in the process, DeFrank said past searches have included “substantial” public involvement, and he expects much the same this time. The board will meet Monday to decide how to conduct the search.

Most people understand the need for some degree of confidentiality in hiring decisions. That said, the Clovis Unified board should aim to be as transparent and inclusive as possible in the hiring process.

To start, that means hearing from parents on what they want in the next superintendent. It may not be possible to hold parent meetings at every single school site — there are 34 elementary schools, five middle schools and five high schools. But it would not be too much to expect conducting meetings at every high school.

The trustees should also consider having their top three “interview” with the public at one session before the final hiring decision is made. That kind of gathering would also give the applicants a better sense of what they might be getting into. Clovis parents are passionate about their schools.

Clovis Unified trustees, this is one of the most important decisions you will face in your time in office. The stakes are high, and the community expects you to get this right. One way to do that is make sure you understand what the community wants.

Here is hoping the board can find someone with the high character and professional standards of Eimear O’Brien. She called her departure bittersweet because she still loves her work. It is bittersweet for the Clovis Unified, too, but her family obligations are certainly understandable. All the best to her.