■FUSD Board President Susan Wittrup outlined the steps being taken in the superintendent search.

■They include recently concluded community listening sessions and an online survey.

■The district is employing Leadership Associates to assist with the search.

Fresno Unified School Board President Susan Wittrup provided an update Thursday on the district’s search for a new superintendent, outlining the steps that have been taken so far and what’s coming up.

The district is seeking a replacement for Superintendent Bob Nelson, who is leaving on July 31 for a faculty job at Fresno State.

“As Trustees, one of our most critical tasks is to recruit, retain, and ensure that the next Superintendent is leading the district in the best service to our students’ education,” Wittrup said in a statement released Thursday by the district.

Three of the School Board members — Wittrup, Board Clerk Valerie Davis, and Trustee Veva Islas — have been named to a search subcommittee to guide and lead the search process, Wittrup said in the statement.

Listening Sessions Held

Earlier this month, the district held eight listening sessions districtwide to hear from parents, staff, and community members “on the qualities and characteristics you wish to see in our next Superintendent along with your insights on the vision, goals, and direction that ought to be a focus of the next Superintendent,” she said.

Those who could not attend the in-person listening sessions can provide feedback in an online survey at fresnounified.org/suptsurvey that’s available in English, Spanish, and Hmong.

The feedback will be shared with the board and subcommittee to guide the next steps in the search process.

The district has hired Leadership Associates, which Wittrup describes as the state of California’s pre-eminent executive search and leadership development firm, to assist with the search process.

If the board is still seeking Nelson’s replacement after July 31, deputy superintendent Misty Her will serve as interim superintendent.

Board members, as well as others in the community, were being lobbied earlier this month by the leadership of the Fresno Teachers Association, who were proposing that executive director Louis Jamerson be named superintendent and FTA President Manuel Bonilla become deputy superintendent.

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