Trustees to decide on interim chief

MINDEN - Outgoing superintendent Pendery Clark will recommend Assistant Superintendent John Soderman to run the Douglas County School District for the remainder of the 2001-2002 school year.

Trustees will vote Tuesday on Clark's recommendation during the school board meeting at Kingsbury Middle School.

Clark gave Soderman her blessing on Friday.

"He has a really good sense of what's going on and what's kind of on the plate," she said. "He's an excellent person to continue the year and get everything off to a good smooth start."

Clark said she is confident Douglas schools will continue to do good work.

While the appointment of a replacement is up to the trustees, Clark said Soderman is qualified to be the district's superintendent.

"He's certainly very well qualified," she said. "I've worked closely with him and have a great deal of respect for him."

Clark said Soderman has an even-handed approach to handling problems.

Clark's resignation is effective Nov. 1, after she accepted the superintendent's job on Tuesday in the San Mateo-Foster City School District.

In making the recommendation, Clark wrote that Soderman's appointment will allow trustees "ample opportunity and time to decide on a process for selecting a permanent replacement" for Clark.

Also, Soderman's recommendation will "cause the least amount of disruption district-wide and result in a smooth transition to new district leadership for the upcoming school year," she wrote.

Soderman has been the district's assistant superintendent of personnel services since 1998.

Soderman, a school district employee since 1976, has worked as a teacher, a professional development center trainer, principal and assistant superintendent of education services.

Trustees in San Mateo formally approved Clark's contract Friday.