Eugene School Board votes 4-3 to select Andy Dey as its new superintendent

After a two-year search put on pause by the pandemic, Eugene School Board voted 4-3 to hire Andy Dey as permanent superintendent Thursday night.

Dey, who served as director of secondary education for 4J, was selected from the three finalists. There were four announced on May 2, but one candidate withdrew from consideration. Since then, there had been little movement until Thursday's special meeting, which began at 9:15 p.m.

The vote was split four to three. Board members Michelle Hsu, Gordon Lafer, Laurel O'Rourke and Maya Rabasa voted in favor of hiring Dey, while Keerti Hasija Kauffman, Alicia Hays and Judy Newman opposed.

"Dr. Dey's experience, vision, values and growth mindset all contribute to the board's decision to move to extend an offer to Dr. Dey to serve as superintendent," Vice Chair Rabasa said during the meeting. "In the seemingly impossible long time the community has been waiting for tonight's meeting, we have conducted an extensive vetting process. Through that process, I have become confident and Dr. Dey's willingness and capacity to work with a broad range of stakeholders to take swift corrective action to address the challenges our district faces and to uplift the good work we have already begun."

Dey has worked in education for 20 years. Before moving into 4J district administration, Dey taught science and served as assistant principal at Thurston High School in Springfield, was principal of Agnes Stewart Middle School in Springfield and principal of South Eugene High School.

Dey came to Eugene in the mid-1990s. He earned his bachelor's degree in biology at the College of Charleston and his master’s degree in education and doctorate in educational methodology, policy and leadership from the University of Oregon.

"I have the opportunity to work with a world-class team of professionals in service to the community and students and families. It's very exciting to work with such dedicated colleagues," Dey told The Register Guard on Friday afternoon.

Dey was not present at the board meeting, but he was tuned in virtually. He said he felt excited, thoughtful and reflective at the vote. The district will be finalizing a contract for Dey following the board decision.

"I do not know Andy well, but I have had a chance to talk to people who do know him well," O'Rourke said. "They talk about his communication ability, teamwork, his respect, his flexibility and creativity, and most importantly, his critical thinking.

"I know he has the ability to be a great leader, and I know we are setting him up for that success by creating and having accountability systems in place that this happens," she said.

Rabasa noted that Dey will be the first Native American hired into the superintendent position for the district. Dey is not an enrolled member of any Indigenous tribe, but he said he has Native ancestry on from both his parents — the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and Choctaw.

"That is definitely a part of who I am, and I think it's important that people know that," Dey said. "But I think all of us are more than what our race is. That's not a flat, monolithic thing for anybody, regardless of who they are, where they come from."

The meeting concluded at 10:15 p.m., directly after the board approved Dey's hiring.

Search started in March 2020

The search for a permanent superintendent first started in March 2020 after former superintendent Gustavo Balderas announced he was leaving to serve as superintendent of Edmonds School District in Washington. Cydney Vandercar was appointed as the interim superintendent by the board on May 6, 2020.

With the tumultuous COVID-19 pandemic, the search was put on hold, leaving Vandercar to serve as interim for two full school years.

There were also changes within the 4J Board of Education, causing more disruption to the superintendent search process. During the spring semester, two board members, Martina Shabram and Mary Walston, resigned for personal reasons. Michelle Hsu and Keerti Hasija Kauffman were appointed to fill the vacancies in late April. Both Hsu and Hasija Kauffman received training to catch them up to speed on the superintendent hiring.

Superintendent search firm's advice:Eugene School Board should deal with internal conflicts first

A board divided

Despite the ultimate decision to hire Dey, the vote was a close call.

Board Chair Newman voted against Dey's hiring after stating that she received multiple requests to hold off on the hiring process.

"I read every single email, letter and message we received regarding candidates based on what I heard from this feedback," Newman said. "What I strongly feel is needed at this time for the 4J community, I am unable to vote yes for this candidate. I know that we would all prefer to have a unanimous vote on this important decision, but I'm making a very important decision and must vote my conscience."

Hasija Kauffman said that she had pushed for a candidate outside of Eugene to provide an alternative perspective as district leader. She voted against his hiring, but said she would support Dey as superintendent.

Hays said that her opposition was largely in response to concerns raised about sexism in the workplace from staff in the district.

"I understand your fears of retaliation," Hays said to those who raised concerns. "My hope is that you will not give up and that you will not leave the district, my hope is that you will stay and work with me and other board members who understand the harm and pain that sexism brings. Stay to make this a better district where all voices can be elevated, included, and most importantly, believed."

Lafer added his input after each board member shared their opposing positions on the superintendent hiring.

"Obviously, we have different views and different views in the community, and not mildly different, but intensely different," Lafer said. "But I believe that we all want the district to move forward in the way that we need to move forward, and we're all going to work with the new superintendent to make sure that that happens."

Pushing for equity

Earlier in the meeting, the board also voted to adopt four motions that will affect the superintendent. The four motions will:

• Establish ongoing equity training for the board, superintendent and superintendent's cabinet

• Hire an equity coach to advise the superintendent and report back to the board

• Hire an executive coach to advise the superintendent

• Hire an ombudsperson to accept anonymous complaints for 4J practices

"As long as we're committed to equity work, this is something we need to do," Rabasa said. "As much as I live a very optimistic life, I anticipate equity work being very long term, and lasting beyond what we even understand to be equity work currently, it will continue to shift and take different forms."

These motions will also be worked into board policy in next year's board meetings.

This push for equity is not new, Dey said Friday afternoon, but it is being discussed in a new way.

"Ensuring equitable outcomes is work that we have done and it's work that we will be doing into the foreseeable future," Dey said. "There's always something to be done in that area. We need to do more, and we're committed to doing that. I think that it's a good thing that this board, this organization recognizes that there's more to be done around equity and we're committed to doing so."

Miranda Cyr reports on education for The Register-Guard. You can contact her at mcyr@registerguard.com or find her on Twitter @mirandabcyr.

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Eugene 4J School Board votes to select Andy Dey as new superintendent