SPRINGFIELD – After a split board failed to agree on an acting superintendent on Friday, the Springfield School Board during a special meeting on Monday night appointed Jodi O’Mara, who will serve for four months until the end of the school year.
But it wasn’t without tension on the board. At Friday’s meeting, board director Nicole De Graff questioned who recommended the candidates to board chair Jonathan Light.
“We had a letter today from the Springfield Association of Administrators and Confidentials, and they weren’t consulted, and neither was OSEA (Oregon School Employees Association). All stakeholders needed to have been asked,” De Graff said.
Light asked why that information needed to be shared, and De Graff argued for transparency. “We don’t want to give the appearance of having a predetermined outcome,” she said. “We got dozens of emails for one candidate, but none for the others. It feels very coordinated.”
Despite disagreements over disclosed information, the board proceeded with the interviewing process. Three candidates – O’Mara, Brian Megert, and Ame Beard – were interviewed publicly on Friday, Feb. 20.
The candidates
Brian Megert serves as the special programs director at SPS. He emphasized the importance of centering decisions on children’s impact, stating, “Morale thrives when people have voice and agency.” He highlighted the need for forums that allow stakeholders to provide input and participate in decision-making. Megert spoke about building relationships with local organizations and his role on the Thurston Life Foundation board, which is working on the Joyce A. Langeliers Family Center to enhance student counseling services. He affirmed, “That’s just an example of this larger advocacy that I’m a part of, and what I would continue to do is build relationships with the county and the state level.”
Beard, the current principal of the Academy of Arts and Academics, was set to retire at the end of the school year to focus on art at her historic manor in Drain. She highlighted her “transformational” leadership style and the need to restructure the school’s framework to enhance its educational environment. When addressing future challenges, Beard emphasized the importance of staff professional development and fiscal responsibility. “It almost always feels like we’re being reactive instead of proactive,” she stated, adding that civility and financial solvency are her top priorities.
O’Mara comes from the Mapleton School District – a small district with approximately 144 to 147 students in grades PK-12, supported by roughly 12 teachers – where she served as superintendent. According to her LinkedIn profile, she has spent 16 years as an elementary teacher, 15 as an elementary principal, and 10 as a superintendent.
“I think the biggest thing that needs to happen in the next four months is a calming of the waters. I think there’s some healing that needs to be done with our district administrators, building administrators, staff, our students, and our community,” O’Mara said. “I do realize that the budget is also a big, moving issue, considering the latest round of cuts that had to happen mid-year. I think that addressing the budget cuts is painful, it’s emotional, and it’s personal. To do that, you have to build trust and understanding, and to do that, you have to listen.”
The board noted that O’Mara had a transition plan for her role as acting superintendent and her interim replacement. She shared how she creatively navigated Covid-19 challenges in her district when asked about collaboration during difficult situations.
“I understand that you’re not going to make everybody happy; it’s something you strive to want to do, but I don’t think it’s realistic, and I think that’s okay,” O’Mara said. “As long as you have that lens that’s student-focused, and you can explain that this is my thinking, this is my rationale, this is why I feel like it’s best for students.”
After an hour and a half of interviews, Board Chair Jonathan Light noted the advantage of a candidate with internal experience. Ken Kohl moved to appoint O’Mara as acting superintendent, and Nicole De Graff seconded the motion before a vote was called.
Tensions rise
Board member Amber Langworthy and Light voted against the action and supported Beard’s appointment. Light praised Beard for her ability to “calm the waters,” balance budgets, and increase enrollment rates. Kohl noted Beard’s lack of district-level administrative experience compared to O’Mara.
Kohl suggested tabling the discussion until Monday night. Despite further discussion of the top candidates, no consensus was reached.
“We do need to acknowledge the volume of coordination. This outcome was effectively decided beforehand, and it just shows our process is performative,” De Graff said. “I don’t think this board can be trusted to place an acting superintendent.”
She mentioned her unanswered question about candidate recommendations. Langworthy noted that Dustin Reese, SPS human resources director, provided information that Megert was interested. “Jodi, she came from COSA, our lawyer recommended her, and then Ame came from, well, I don’t know where Ame came from,” Langworthy said. Light revealed that Beard was recommended by Andy Hawk, a former staff member. De Graff reiterated her distrust in the board and requested Lane ESD’s involvement as she packed up and left 10 minutes early.
The board continued the discussion until the Feb. 23 special meeting, where she said, “It’s clear to me that this role is not a learning opportunity or audition. It requires someone who can step in and lead effectively on day one,” De Graff said.
“I agree completely. I would just like to add, I appreciate that for Ame, it’s clear that she has the support of many of her staff and students, and that she is doing an excellent job at A3; however, I’m concerned that she doesn’t have the district experience for the role of superintendent at this time.”
Kohl then entertained a motion to appoint O’Mara as acting superintendent, which was unanimously approved. O’Mara will start next month. The next SPS board meeting is scheduled for March 9 at 5:30 p.m.
