After more than seven years spent serving students and staff in the Orcutt Union School District, superintendent Sharon McHolland is retiring. District board of education president Jim Peterson announced McHolland’s plans for retirement—along with the board’s pick for a replacement—at a press conference on May 6.
The board has selected current assistant superintendent of curriculum Bob Bush as the district’s new leader. He will take over McHolland’s position beginning July 1.
“This is an exciting time for the district. And it’s also a tough time,” Bush said at the press conference. “But I’m fortunate to be working with people who are very proactive when it comes to working with children and doing what’s best for the children.”
Bush went on to say he’s very aware of the district’s—and state’s—dire economic situation, but he’s “optimistic that things will be turning around [in the next few years].”
Bush is an Orcutt native. He attended Patterson Road Elementary School and lived within walking distance of the district office on Dyer Street. After leaving the area to attend college, he returned to Orcutt in the early ’70s to take a teaching position at his alma mater (Patterson Elementary). He later served as principal at Lakeview Junior High School.
“It’s been a great journey for me. It’s pretty fantastic for me,” he said.
Bush said he hopes his familiarity with the district will serve him well when addressing important district issues, such as declining enrollment, budget cuts, and potential employee layoffs.
“I’m following in some very big [footsteps],” he said, referring to McHolland. “Things could be much worse for the district, but it’s because we’ve attacked issues head-on—and she’s attacked issues head-on—that we’re doing OK.”
The district is currently facing approximately $7 million in cuts over the next two school years. However, Bush stressed that prediction could change at any moment, depending on Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s upcoming budget proposal.
Wanting to stay positive, Bush said that none of the district’s programs are “under the gun right now.” He also said some teachers have expressed interest in retiring, which could help reduce the number of potential layoffs.
When asked why she chose to retire, the recently remarried McHolland said she “decided it was time to do something else with [her] life.”
She admitted that this year has been tough fiscally, but said she’s confident the district will be able to handle it.
“We’ve been dealing with [budget cuts] for years because of declining enrollment,” she said. “This is nothing new for Orcutt.”
Nonetheless, McHolland said, “All communities need to vocalize how important it is to fund schools and education.”
Over the last few decades, she said, California has gone from one of the top states in per-pupil spending to the lowest.
“We need to look at our priorities, and people need to be vocal about how we take care of our children, how we educate our children, how we pass on our culture, how we pass on our heritage,” she said.
McHolland worked as a superintendent in Orange County for almost 12 years before coming to Orcutt in late 2002. Before that, she worked as an assistant superintendent, principal, and teacher.
Once she retires, McHolland said she plans to spend more time with her husband at their home in Nipomo and travel.
“But I’m a workaholic,” she added. “I’m one of those people who’s here at 6:30 in the morning and doesn’t leave until 8 at night. … So it’ll not just be about keeping busy, but finding a sense of purpose.”
This article appears in May 13-20, 2010.