A leadership change is on the horizon at the Sweetwater Union High School District.
Sweetwater district board President Frank Tarantino announced at Monday night’s board of trustees meeting that interim superintendent Dr. Tim Glover submitted his intent to resign.
Glover’s resignation from his $225,000 position is effective Feb. 18.
His contract expires March 31.
“Dr. Glover’s resignation was submitted in the interest of ensuring that an open and transparent process is followed in the search for a permanent superintendent,” Tarantino said.
Although Glover submitted his resignation papers, he can still apply for the permanent job.
“If he chooses Dr. Glover will be eligible to openly compete for the position,” Tarantino said.
Glover cited transparency as the reason for his resignation.
“I truly believe that if I was to stay as an interim through the process for the search, and if the gods shined upon me, and I was able to be a candidat that there might be some people saying either what a waste of money or why did you (the district) do that if that’s who you landed with (Glover)?,” he said.
Glover, a Castle Park High School alum, will return to his previous role as assistant superintendent of student services and programs division at the San Diego County Office of Education.
The resignation marks the second time in less than a year that the largest secondary school district in California has seen a change at the superintendent position.
Former Superintendent Dr. Ed Brand was suddenly placed on paid administrative leave last July and retired last October.
A temporary school board from the San Diego County Office of Education and then-board member John McCann appointed Glover as interim superintendent last July.
The temporary school board was in place after four of the five indicted trustees at Sweetwater were found guilty in what the District Attorney’s Office called the largest corruption case in San Diego County history.
Newly elected board members met in closed session Tuesday night to discuss plans to fill the superintendent role.
After about two hours of deliberations, all five board members unanimously agreed to immediately begin searching for an interim superintendent. Tarantino said the board will seek candidates who do not wish to seek the permanent job.
“The (new) interim has to be someone who is not going to apply for the job long-term,” Tarantino said.
Tarantino said the goal is to have an interim in place before Glover’s Feb. 18 resignation. After the interim role is filled, Tarantino said the board will conduct a search for a permanent superintendent. The San Diego County Office of Education will also help facilitate the search.
Glover, who once worked as an administrator in the district, said he enjoyed the seven months he served the district in the interim capacity.
“It’s really been a pleasure and an honor to spend time here at Sweetwater again,” he said.
