Moffett resigns as interim superintendent
Successor has yet to be named
By Michelle Knight knight@theacorn.com

Ken Moffett

Pleasant Valley School District Interim Superintendent Ken Moffett abruptly resigned May 10, nearly a month before school lets out, ending a rocky eight month stint with the school district.

The school board hired Moffett in September to fill the position after Thomas Dase left to head a school district in Northern California

Although board President Ron Speakman said at the time that Moffett would stay on until a permanent superintendent could be hired, Speakman said on Tuesday that Moffett's stay with the district carried no guarantees.

"He never promised to stay here; so we certainly didn't expect him to stay here," Speakman said. "Ken did what was best for Ken and that's totally understandable."

Speakman said Moffett wanted to spend more time with his family and that before he left he compiled a list of about 15 potential candidates. Moffett did not return phone calls from the Acorn seeking his comment. Phone calls to the four other school board trustees were not returned by press time. Speakman said that a turnover of superintendents is not uncommon for school districts in California, where the average tenure is about three years.

He said Assistant Superintendent Barbara Davis will fill in as superintendent until a permanent or interim superintendent can be hired.

"So we're not without leadership; there's not a crisis going on here," Speakman said.

Moffett stated in an April 20 resignation letter that after "a great deal of thought, contemplation, discussion and concern it is in everyone's best interest" that his last day with the district is April 27.

Moffett agreed, however, to stay on until May 10, district officials announced in a press release last week.

The last few months of Moffett's eight-month tenure with Pleasant Valley had become marked by parent protests and community rallies after he recommended that the district close three schools to free up $1.5 million. The money would be used to offer more student programs and give teachers and other workers a raise, he said.

The school board granted teachers an 8 percent raise in February and in April a 4 percent raise to administrators and other nonunion employees.

Thomas Dase said he was surprised to learn of Moffett's resignation. The last time he spoke to Moffett was in January at a superintendents' conference, he said, although Moffett gave no indication that he planned an early departure.

Dase, the superintendent of the Cambrian School District in San Jose, Calif., served as Pleasant Valley's superintendent for about two years. Despite receiving a pay raise last year, Dase resigned September 1.