On 9/23/05 the school board scheduled a special meeting, with only 24-hour notice. The sole purpose was to hire an interim superintendent. This meeting was done in the usual Wagner method of operating in secret. Even the names of the candidates were not disclosed and the total interview process was to be in secret.
When it was pointed out by Candidates Larry Layton and Charles Brink that the while the law allowed these interviews to be held in secret, it did not require them to be held in secret, Fred Heslip responded that the school’s attorney told him it must be in secret and he could not now oppose the attorney’s position.
Both candidates volunteered to stay with the public at the meeting while the board interviewed the other candidate. As the board spent at least an hour per candidate, this allowed the community sizable time to get to know each candidate.
The interim superintendent selected was John Hutak. He will serve on a day-to-day contract at the same daily salary as Dr. Wagner until the board selects a new superintendent.
Hutak spent 11 years as an administrator in the Antelope Valley Union High School District, working as principal of AV and Phoenix high schools, and as an assistant superintendent. and recently served as principal at Burbank High School.
Hutak retired from the AV Unified High School District in November 2004, after setting up two new campuses for Phoenix High, which serves students who are expelled from regular high schools. Consulting work was picking up, he said, and "I was looking forward to doing something different." "I never really felt retired," he added. Hutak promised his new school board to give Acton-Agua Dulce Unified his full attention. At 57, he considers himself too young to be really retired. Hutak still serves as a reserve deputy for the Sheriff's Department.
His family members were pioneer settlers in Juniper Hills in the early 1900’s.. His family ranch in Juniper Hills is very close to the border of the Acton-Agua Dulce School District.
He is very aware of the problems in our district and believes that he can assist us during the transition period, while the board selects a new superintendent. He was quite surprised by the interest in his selection process and the demands by the community for a more public process. He was extremely forthcoming with answers to questions from the community members present.
Hutak said openness and personal accessibility will be stressed which is a major change from Wagner's secret ways.
Present at the meeting were the board, except for Melissa Harnett, some of the candidates for school board except for Mark Distaso, Michael Hughes, Debora Rocha, and Geraldine Rose-Davis-Duzick who did not attend . A few members of the public and school staff were present.