
LOWER LAKE, Calif. – On Wednesday evening, the Konocti Unified School District Board of Trustees voted unanimously to finalize the hire of the new district superintendent.
In two separate votes, the board confirmed the job offer to Dr. Rebecca Salato and then approved her three-year contract.
Salato was on hand for the meeting, with the board asking her to lead the flag salute. She had spent the day in the district, meeting with administrators and beginning a tour of schools.
Her newly approved contract runs from July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2022.
Under its terms, Salato’s base salary in year one is $155,000, rising to $158,875 in year two and $162,846 in year three. She will annually receive $15,600 in health insurance.
The contract entitles her to travel expenses for district-related business before July 1 up to $1,500, with moving expenses reimbursement up to $2,000.
Regarding performance, the board is to complete a written evaluation of the superintendent no later than the first regular meeting of each June.
If the district terminates the superintendent with cause – for failing to perform her duties – there is no requirement to pay salary beyond the termination date. However, should the board terminate “for convenience” – or without cause – it must give 90 days’ notice and pay the superintendent for every month still left on the contract.
The district board had announced Salato’s hire at a special April 17 meeting, as Lake County News has reported.
Salato begins work officially on July 1, the day after current Superintendent Donna Becnel’s retirement goes into effect.
Before then, Salato told Lake County News there will be a transition process as she visits the district and works with Becnel to prepare to take the reins. She plans to relocate to the county in June.
Salato currently is the chief operating officer of Action Learning Systems. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in history, a master’s degree in special education and a doctorate from Pepperdine University in educational leadership, and has 22 years of experience in K-12 education ranging from teaching to administration.
Earlier this year, Konocti Unified hired Education Leadership Solutions LLC to lead the superintendent search after Becnel announced her plans to retire.
Salato said she was looking for a specific type of district, one where the community is involved, there already is strong leadership and forward progress.
“This checked all of the boxes for me,” she said of Konocti Unified.
For the superintendent’s job, the district drew a field of 14 applicants from around California and Montana. Six of those candidates were interviewed separately by the board and a 16-member community committee who narrowed the field down to two finalists who were interviewed on April 7, with Salato emerging as the board’s choice.
On Wednesday, Salato said she was at the district all day, meeting with principals and the management team, and starting to visit some schools.
She said she will spend Thursday visiting other schools in the district.
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