School board keen on Supt. from Central Valley

School board members today said they will meet Thursday to confirm Visalia Unified School District Supt. Stan Carrizosa as their top pick for Burbank Unified.

The decision would only be the first in a series of confirmations that would need to take place before he took over as Burbank Unified’s chief in time for July 1. It would also come less than three months after Supt. Kevin Jolly announced his resignation, effective June 30. His decision to leave came after just six months on the job.

But while Jolly came from a much smaller district, Carrizosa’s is about twice the size of Burbank Unified in terms of student population.

Visalia Unified serves about 32,000 students in a district at roughly the midpoint between Bakersfield and Fresno. The district includes 24 elementary schools, four middle schools, four high schools, an adult school, two charter schools and a campus that serves orthopedic handicapped students.

Burbank Unified handles about 15,600 students in kindergarten through 12th grade, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Education.

Burbank Unified school board members traveled to Visalia on Feb. 1, meeting in closed session regarding a superintendent appointment and contract negotiations.

Leadership Associates, a consulting firm involved with hiring Jolly, facilitated the Carrizosa interviews, board members said.