28 Jan Antioch Unified Appoints Interim Superintendent

(Screenshot captured by Samantha Kennedy / The CC Pulse)

By Samantha Kennedy

The Antioch Unified School District has appointed Matt Wayne, former superintendent of the San Francisco Unified School District, as interim superintendent. The board approved the appointment in a 4-1 vote during a special meeting Friday, with Trustee Jag Lathan voting against the hire. 

Wayne’s appointment follows the dismissal of former Superintendent Stephanie Anello earlier this year. Anello was let go after criticism regarding her handling of allegations that a district employee failed to address bullying concerns.

There was no public discussion or comment on Wayne’s appointment during the meeting.

Wayne, who will take over from acting Superintendent Robert Martinez, brings with him a mix of experience and controversy. During his tenure at SFUSD, Wayne proposed a list of school closures that faced backlash from multiple stakeholders, including then-Mayor London Breed, who expressed a loss of confidence in his leadership. Following the controversy, Wayne resigned in October. 

Since leaving SFUSD, Wayne has worked as an independent consultant, describing himself as a leader with expertise in strategic planning, systems improvement, and change management, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Before his time at SFUSD, Wayne served as the superintendent of Hayward Unified School District for six years. He also spent nearly 10 years in the West Contra Costa Unified School District, including serving as principal at Dover Elementary School in San Pablo. Under his leadership at HUSD, eight schools were threatened with closures, and two were ultimately closed. 

AUSD Moves Ahead with Superintendent Search

The length of Wayne’s term as interim superintendent remains uncertain, but the board has moved forward with a search for a permanent leader. During the meeting, board members unanimously approved hiring McPherson & Jacobson, a Nebraska-based search firm, to lead the search. The firm’s fee is estimated at $19,500, excluding interview expenses, and the search is expected to last until April.

The cost of McPherson & Jacobson’s proposal was the lowest of the three bids the board considered, coming in about $9,000 less than the highest bid from Leadership Associates. Leadership Associates last week secured a $45,000 contract with the West Contra Costa Unified School District for a similar search.

McPherson & Jacobson has conducted superintendent searches for several smaller districts in California, including Oakley Union Elementary, Albany Unified, Elk Grove Unified, and Hayward Unified. A recommendation from the San Mateo-Foster City School District, which worked with the firm, praised its community input process and ability to reflect local needs.

Despite its experience with smaller districts, McPherson & Jacobson’s proposal was selected, even though AUSD, with approximately 15,000 students, is larger than the firm’s typical client.

District Reaffirms Commitment to Safe Learning Environment for All Students

At the board’s next meeting, scheduled for Jan. 29, members will consider reaffirming the district’s resolution to ensure a safe and inclusive learning environment for all students, regardless of immigration status. The resolution, first passed in 2017 during President Donald Trump’s first term, has taken on renewed importance in light of recent federal immigration actions.

In a letter to AUSD families, Martinez emphasized that the district remains committed to protecting all students from any external threats, stressing that children should not be caught in political disputes.

Earlier this week, San Francisco schools were involved in a separate immigration-related incident when an SFUSD student reported being approached by an ICE agent on a bus. However, both ICE and Mayor Daniel Lurie later stated that the report was inaccurate.

While Antioch does not have an official sanctuary city policy like some neighboring cities, California’s sanctuary state laws provide protections for undocumented residents. In November, Antioch City Council members Tamisha Torres-Walker and then-Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe requested a resolution to declare the city a sanctuary, but with the shift in council leadership, it’s unclear whether such a resolution will be pursued.

The next board meeting will include approval of contracts for both Wayne and the McPherson & Jacobson search firm.