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Schools

Interim Superintendent to Stay On

The Beverly Hills school board suspends its search and is expected to approve a one-year contract with Richard Douglas.

The Beverly Hills Unified School District's search for a new superintendent has been suspended for now. The school board is expected to remove "interim" from the title of Richard Douglas and ratify a new contract with him at its Sept. 14 meeting. Douglas will serve in the role until the end of the current school year. 

The school district had hired executive search firm Morris & Berger to seek out applicants and narrow down the list of contenders to present to the Beverly Hills Board of Education.

"They were in the process of looking for a new superintendent and asked me during that process to stay on," Douglas told Patch in a phone interview. "I think during the process they decided the candidate pool would be better next year."

Find out what's happening in Beverly Hillswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Douglas said he was "quite honored" at being asked to remain as superintendent. He was originally hired on July 1 on a short-term basis until a new superintendent could be found.

"I have wonderful memories of this school district," Douglas said. "I've had great mentors here and they've been very supportive. I'm very grateful."

Find out what's happening in Beverly Hillswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Before serving for nine years as superintendent of the Montecito Union High School District, Douglas spent several decades as an administrator, teacher and coach in Beverly Hills. Among his positions, he served as assistant principal at El Rodeo, principal at Hawthorne, and as a teacher and coach at Beverly Hills High School.

Douglas took over for Jerry Gross, who did not have his contract renewed after serving in the position for a year and a half. 

 

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