Los Nietos school board terminates superintendent's contract

Los Nietos School District's Board of Education has terminated the contract — with no cause stated — of its longtime superintendent Jonathan Vasquez.

The board voted 4-1 — board member Cathy Martinez cast the lone no vote — on Thursday to approve the separation agreement with Vasquez, who was named superintendent in June 2009.

The decision wasn't announced until Friday.

Details of the agreement were not available on Monday, but it does call for Vasquez to be paid an additional amount, Vasquez said.

Vasquez in a Monday telephone interview declined to say how much money he will receive and a spokesman for the district didn't respond to a request by this newspaper group for the agreement.

Vasquez worked for the district for 31 years, including a stint as principal at Rancho Santa Gertrudes Elementary School and director of special education/pupil services.

Vasquez was paid $207,360 annually by the district, which encompasses north Santa Fe Springs and portions of unincorporated

Vasquez

“This is one of the biggest bonehead plays the board has done in a long time.”

— Nicholas Aquino, former board member

West Whittier.

In an emailed release sent out late Friday, the district said the move was made in response to changes over the past two years due to the pressure and dynamics brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.

“To ensure Los Nietos School District students continue to receive the highest quality education, the board felt it necessary to bring on new leadership that could approach the district's challenges with a fresh perspective,” according to the release.

Board President Emilio Sosa declined to be interviewed on Monday, referring all comments to Samantha Marquez, vice president of Anaheim-based Presidio, a communications consultant hired by the district.

Vasauez, who called his years with the district “stellar,” said he respected the board's decision

“They're wanting to serve the Los Nietos community the best they can and I respect that,” Vasquez said. “I support their decision.”

The board's vote was criticized by former longtime board member Nicholas Aquino, who lost his seat in 2020.

“This is just a power play,” Aquino said. “I think the board has a couple of people in it who are leading this charge thinking that by changing the superintendent they'll have better success with test scores and students' performance, which is not the case.”

Aquino called Vasquez the best superintendent in the Whittier area.

“In the 17-plus years I was on the board, I never met a man who was more dedicated to the school district and the community it served,” Aquno said. “This is one of the biggest bonehead plays the board has done in a long time.”

For example, Vasquez helped obtain a Los Angeles County library to go in on part of the Los Nietos Middle School site, Aquino said.

Also, earlier this school year when the Nelson Elementary School principal left, rather than trying to find someone in the middle of the year Vasquez did that job for a while.

He also handled his superintendent duties at the same time, he said.

Don Fulton, president of Los Nietos Teachers Association, had no problem with the move, saying they were elected to make these types of decisions.

“It's really the board's decision,” Fulton said.