The state of California has yet to appoint a permanent county administrator to lead Plumas Unified School District during the period of its emergency loan. To fill that position, the Plumas County Office of Education board voted Aug. 13 to extend the contract for Interim County Administrator Andrea White.
Three PCOE board members attended the meeting: Cindy Crim, Joleen Cline and Chelsea Harrison. Board member JoDee Johnson was absent. The fifth seat remains unfilled pending the Nov. 4 election.
Originally a one-month agreement for July, the interim post has now been extended to Sept. 30. The $350 per day pay rate remains in place, per the contract. As administrator, White has full decision-making authority for PUSD. The school board continues to have authority over PCOE.
“We are all in this together. Let’s go get them!”
Stuart Clark, Plumas County Teachers Association vice president
In spite of its fiscal status, the tone of the PUSD meeting was generally positive. “No need to preach tonight, I feel so good right now,” said Stuart Clark, vice president of the Plumas County Teachers Association and a frequent public commenter at school board meetings. “We are learning rules, procedures, and getting clear direction. If we have hiccups, we fix them. This is the setting of a good foundation, it will get us where we need to go, and we will get there. We are all in this together. Let’s go get them!” Clark said.
Harrison remained in the audience during the PUSD meeting, while the other board members departed. She addressed White to express her support. “I just want to share that, although I am not sitting up there anymore, I do appreciate you taking on what you are taking on. I am disappointed that I don’t get to be a part of items that are not fiscal issues, like policies and so on. I just wanted to thank you but also say this.”
Administrator selection process
A new item, “educational partners update” appeared on PUSD’s August agenda. It is designed to keep everyone informed on the state receivership process. Before sharing an update on the county administrator selection process, White briefly reviewed California Brown Act rules for speaking and asking questions during public meetings.
White said there are 20 applicants for the school administrator position. The Fiscal Crisis Management Assistance Team narrowed the field to their top five picks using a rubric rating tool. An interview panel, made up of representatives of different interests, will hold interviews Aug. 25. The new county administrator is expected to start Sept. 2.
White reported that, over the past month, FCMAT has begun a series of required interviews to establish a baseline and track improvement. She thanked the parents, staff, and community members who have met with FCMAT finance, community relations and governance teams as part of the first round. She said using the district’s Parent Square online communication tool helped draw volunteers to participate in interviews. The next three FCMAT teams rotating through the district in the first week of September will be HR, facilities, and people achievement.
The district is already sharing documents on processes. The first round of findings is expected in January 2026, in a comprehensive assessment report.
The interviews assess the district against 152 standards, set by the State Board of Education. The district will be reassessed annually for 3-5 years, measuring improvements until the district is able to be removed from state receivership. White reminded everyone to check the fiscal updates on the district webpage.
In other business, the PUSD 2025-26 Transportation Safety Plan was presented by Melissa Leal, director of educational services, and approved by White.
The next regular meeting is scheduled to take place Wed. Sep. 10 at Portola JS High School Library, 155 Sixth St. The PCOE meeting begins at 4:30 p.m. and the PUSD meeting begins at 5:30 p.m.
