At a School Board meeting on February 17, 2026 Superintendent Susan Penrod announced her retirement.  On February 25, 2026, the School Board held a Special Meeting to begin the planning process for recruiting and hiring the next Superintendent of the Seaside School District.  The Board appointed four of its members to become the Superintendent Search Advisory Committee.  Committee members are Katherine Davidson, Sondra Gomez, Jason Haag, and Shannon Swedenborg.  The Superintendent Search Committee held it’s first meeting on March 3, 2026.  

Meetings of the School Board, and of the Superintendent Search Committee are public meetings (unless noted and for specific reasons allowed by law) and the Board welcomes the community to participate.  Public meeting information, including recordings of past meetings are available on the District’s BoardBook webpage.

SUPERINTENDENT PENROD’S RETIREMENT ANNOUNCEMENT TO STAFF

Interview Panel Groups

The Board is interested in receiving input from a wide range of constituents during the process of recruiting and hiring our next superintendent.  To this end, four interview panel groups will be developed to participate in semi-finalist interviews and selection of finalists.  The groups will be:

• Licensed Staff
• Classified Staff
• Students
• Administrators/District Staff

If you are interested in participating on an interview panel group, please complete THIS FORM no later than midnight on Sunday, March 15^th.  You must be available to participate in all scheduled activies, including an afternoon meeting on Wednesday, March 18^th, and evening interviews on April 8^th and April 9^th.  Interview panel groups will be selected by lottery.  If you are selected to serve on a group, you will be notified by the end of the day on March 17^th.

Staff & Student Interview Panel Group Application

Important Dates
(Dates are subject to revision)

• February 17 – Superintendent Penrod announces retirement and a Superintendent Advisory Committee is formed
• March 3 – Superintendent Advisory Committee Work Session to develop timeline, qualifications and application
• March 9 – Superintendent application opens
• March 17 – Superintendent Advisory Committee Work Session to gather feedback from staff and students
• March 9 -15 – Interview Panel Group Application is open
• March 18 – Mandatory after-school meeting for Interview Panel Groups
• March 29 – Superintendent application closes
• April 8 and 9 – Semi-Finalist Interviews
• Week of April 20 – Finalists Interviews and Community Forum
• Week of April 27 – School Board meets in Executive Session to make final selection
• July 1 – New Superintendent starts