The Las Cruces Public Schools Board of Education plans to move quickly to find an interim superintendent to stabilize the district.
It sounds as though the board will wait at least a year to begin the process of hiring a permanent superintendent.
At Tuesday’s meeting, board members formally appointed Elizabeth Marrufo as administrator in charge until an interim superintendent is hired. She will make an annual salary of $130,000 as long as she is in that position.
They also agreed that board members John Schwebke and Chuck Davis will draft a plan to find an interim superintendent. It will be brought to the full board at its meeting on Dec. 19 for approval.
Schwebke suggested that the board look for an interim superintendent from New Mexico – someone who is a former superintendent, perhaps – and that the board form a committee made up of teachers, parents, other school employees and members of the public to aid in the process.
He suggested the board move as quickly as possible to find an interim chief.
“The sooner we get some stability, the better,” Schwebke said.
Board members seemed to agree with that, and also with Schwebke’s suggestion that the board wait at least a year before beginning the process of finding a permanent superintendent.
“We want to bring stability to this, and if we rush it, that’s not going to happen,” board Member Gene Gant said.
Before finalizing its plan, the board asked administrators to get feedback from teachers, parents, classified staff and students at meetings scheduled to be held in December.