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Superintendent Weis accepts Bay Area job
Schools chief will head the Santa Clara County Office of Education
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More from EducationVentura County schools Superintendent Charles Weis was chosen to head the Santa Clara County Office of Education at a meeting Wednesday night in San Jose.
The Santa Clara County school board voted 7-0 to appoint Weis as its superintendent of schools after a months-long search process. Weis, 57, is scheduled to start his new job July 1.
"I am very excited about moving to Silicon Valley and will try to improve the quality of service to young people up there," Weis said. "I'm going to spend the first several months getting to know the area and find out what the issues and concerns are. One thing I'm going to look at is improving customer service. We spent a lot of effort on that in Ventura County, and from what I heard, it's something needed in Santa Clara County."
Weis was appointed as Ventura County's superintendent in 1993 and elected to his first term the following year. He's now serving a fourth four-year term.
His term here would have ended Dec. 31, 2010, and the Ventura County school board likely will soon have an opportunity to appoint someone to fill the position.
Weis announced he was a top finalist for the new position about three weeks ago. Trustees from Santa Clara County then visited the Ventura County Office of Education and interviewed staff members and others in the community last week.
The Santa Clara County office has about three times as many employees as the Ventura County office. It works with 32 districts, which serve about 255,000 students.
Weis will be paid $285,000 annually in his new position, according to a four-year contract approved Wednesday.
In Ventura County, he receives about $177,000 annually — a salary Weis has said has not kept pace with inflation and isn't competitive.
Weis said he wasn't looking for a new job when he was recruited for the Santa Clara position by several school district superintendents in that area. Later, he also was approached by a search firm.
Weis said he has worked with "some of the brightest educators" during his tenure in Ventura County.
"I have learned a lot here from many people, and together we have created one of the top offices in the state," he said. "It's not all my doing. This office is filled with servant leaders who really understand that we are here to serve the customers, including students and parents, with a focus on improving student learning."
Posted by Oranges on April 18, 2008 at 7:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Be very afraid of the choice of our county board presents as a replacement.
Posted by Poppa on April 18, 2008 at 9:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The County has two good replacements, Cary Dritz and Stan Mantooth. You can bet though that the four extremists on the Board are planning on hiring a far right wing extremist who will make sure kids in County schools are forced to pray daily, only learn about creationism and that the only sex ed is abstinance! We need to get rid of Bates, Kunicki and Valenzana and the Ron Matthews clone for the sake of County children!
Posted by Oranges on April 18, 2008 at 2:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Stan is a good man with strong financial sense. I'm not sure he is as good with programs. He will also not fit the bill for conservative action hero this board will be looking for.
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