Springfield school board postpones decision on acting superintendent

The Springfield Public Schools Board of Directors Friday, Feb. 20 postponed selecting an acting superintendent to serve for the rest of the school year at the troubled district.

Members of the board appeared to be split between two candidates during Friday’s special meeting. The board, which is down to four members because of a recent resignation, tabled the decisions until its next meeting, scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 23 at the district’s administration building, 640 A St. in Springfield.

The board is seeking to hire an acting superintendent who will start work in March and serve until June 30. The acting superintendent will replace Todd Hamilton, who is resigning at the end of February amid turmoil in the district, including his threat to sue the district and members of the board.

Board members interviewed three candidates for the job at the Friday meeting:

• Brian Megart, director of special programs for Springfield Public Schools.
• Jodi O’Mara, former superintendent of the Mapleton School District.
• Ame Beard, principal of the district’s Academy of Arts and Academics, known as A3.

Board members appeared to be divided between Beard and O’Mara.

Jonathan Light and Amber Langworth cast votes in support of Beard, with both citing the need to have someone in the role who has worked in the district. Board members Ken Kohl and Nicole De Graff supported O’Mara, arguing that she has more overall administrative experience.

Light said the board has another option: It could decide to wait to appoint a superintendent and use services from the Lane Education Service District to take on some of the work the superintendent handles over the last four months of the school year.

District officials have said they also plan to hire an interim superintendent, who will start in July and serve one year. That would allow the board to begin a search for a permanent superintendent, who would start in July 2027.