Laguna Beach Schools Select Superintendent

LAGUNA BEACH — Taking what one trustee called the first major step toward recovery, the Laguna Beach Unified School District board late Tuesday hired a San Bernardino County school superintendent to help solve the district’s financial crisis and leadership vacuum.

By a 4-0 vote, the board chose Reed Montgomery, 50, superintendent of the 8,000-student Alta Loma School District. He was picked from about 130 candidates in an intensive four-month search.

Board President Susan Mas was out of town and missed the vote, but sent a letter supporting Montgomery, whose appointment caps a tumultuous time during which the county nearly took over the troubled district.

“This is the first big step we’ve taken for a permanent change,” Trustee Steven Rabago said before the meeting. “It really starts our organizational plan moving forward after the financial problems we’ve had over the past year.”

Montgomery, who was introduced to the community at the special board meeting, said, “All decisions should be made for the benefit of the children. And if you look at it that way it’s really not that complicated.”

Kevin Donavan, a parent who helped in the selection process, applauded the board’s choice.

“I think it’s a great day for our district and certainly for our kids.”

Montgomery was previously superintendent at both Rim of the World Unified School District in the Lake Arrowhead area and Castaic Union School District in Los Angeles County’s Santa Clarita Valley.

Laguna school officials say Montgomery is the right person to lead the still-wobbly district back to solid ground.

“I feel very fortunate that we’ve got such a high-caliber person,” board member Eileen T. Walsh said. “He’s got great experience and he’s very forward-thinking.”

Rabago said Montgomery accepted an unusual performance-based pay agreement. He will be paid an annual base salary of $95,000 with the opportunity to make another $20,000 if he achieves goals set by the board. Former Laguna Beach Supt. Paul M. Possemato was paid $120,000 annually, plus a $6,000 car allowance.

Montgomery, who makes $94,000 at his current job, begins his duties here July 1.

The 2,500-student Laguna Beach district has been without a permanent superintendent since the height of the financial crisis in August, when Possemato tendered an early retirement offer under pressure from angry parents, one day after the board fired then-Chief Financial Officer Terry A. Bustillos.

After Possemato’s exit, the board urged administrators in the district to apply for the top post, but no one wanted it. Instead, other members of the tiny administrative team also left.

Currently, Thurston Middle School Principal Cheryl Baughn is serving as acting superintendent. She has requested a leave of absence for the fall semester.

Tensions within the district have centered on financial woes that can be traced to slack property tax revenue that were not offset by cutbacks in spending. The problems were exacerbated by losses incurred by the Orange County bankruptcy, the massive 1993 fire in Laguna Beach, and by bookkeeping errors.

In November, the Orange County Department of Education was on the verge of taking financial control of the district. At the last minute, the board patched together a balanced budget by borrowing $850,000 and cutting the salaries of all district workers.

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Profile: Reed Montgomery

New position: Superintendent of Laguna Beach Unified School District

On the job: July 1

Education: Bachelor’s degree in history, Cal State Long Beach, 1969; master’s in educational technology, San Francisco State, 1977 and in educational administration, 1978; doctorate in education, 1991, USC

Family: Wife, two adult children

Residence: Lake Arrowhead (relocating to Orange County)

Background: 1991 to present, superintendent, Alta Loma School District; 1988-91, superintendent, Rim of the World Unified School District; 1982-88, superintendent, Castaic Union School District; 1977-82, principal, La Honda-Pescadero Unified School District; 1976-77, teacher, La Honda-Pescadero Unified; 1972-76, teacher, Los Altos Elementary School District

Sidelights: Adjunct professor of education at Cal State San Bernardino

Source: Reed Montgomery; Researched by LESLIE EARNEST / For The Times