Manchester school Superintendent John Goldhardt is one of six remaining candidates for superintendent of the Carson City School District in Nevada.
Goldhardt was hired as superintendent of New Hampshire’s largest school district in July 2019, replacing Bolgen Vargas.
Before his hiring in Manchester, Goldhardt said during a candidates forum, “I am committed to spending an absolute minimum of five years as superintendent, but would actually prefer 10 years.”
On Wednesday, Goldhardt said in a statement, “The COVID-19 pandemic and birth of my first grandchild have altered my perspective about what is most important, and that is my relationship with my family.
“The only thing that would draw me away from New England would (be) to be closer to my sons, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter.”
Goldhardt said he believes in the work he, administrators and school board members are doing in Manchester schools.
“In fact, I just submitted my 2022 priorities for the board to review at this Monday’s board meeting,” Goldhardt said. “I am just a semi-finalist at this point in time and there are several strong candidates. These searches are highly competitive and there is a comprehensive vetting process. In the meantime, I will continue to get up each and every morning, give my all, and work on behalf of the students of Manchester.”
Manchester school board vice chair Jim O’Connell said Wednesday he was “surprised” by the news.
“It came as a surprise, but I’m not shocked,” O’Connell said. “There’s a national trend of superintendents leaving school districts, and many attribute it to the level of stress and the amount of work involved in dealing with the COVID crisis.”
He said Goldhardt “had not given any indication to the board that he was looking.”
O’Connell said whatever happens next, he feels the district is in a “good position in terms of leadership” with assistant superintendents Amy Allen and Jennifer Gillis — both finalists for the Manchester job in 2019 — already “in-house.”
“Both of them are excellent administrators,” O’Connell said. “Prior to the arrival of Dr. Goldhardt, our district was well-managed by the joint-superintendency of both those individuals, so from a continuity point of view, I think we are in good hands.”
In his job application on file with the Carson City School District, Goldhardt wrote he is impressed with the community and school system.
“The community is supportive of the district and there is great pride in the school system,” he wrote. “Although I am currently located in New England, I am a westerner and I prefer the lifestyle and values of the west.”
The Carson City School District Board of Trustees on Tuesday night approved six candidates for the superintendent position, one of whom was Goldhardt. Interviews will be conducted Jan. 25 and 26, according to the district’s website.
Nevada’s capital, Carson City has approximately 7,600 students in 10 schools — six elementaries, two middle schools, one alternative high school and one comprehensive high school.
Manchester has 12,700 students in 21 schools — 13 elementaries, four middle schools and four high schools.
In 2018, Carson City’s highest-paid employee was current school superintendent Richard Stokes, with an annual salary of $162,500. In 2020, Goldhardt was paid an annual salary of $171,725.
Goldhardt came to the Queen City after serving as assistant superintendent of schools in the Salt Lake City, Utah, for two years.
He previously served as principal of Murray High School (1,600 students) and also as principal at Snow Canyon Middle School (880 students). He was a teacher for five years, all in Utah.
Goldhardt succeeded Vargas as superintendent in Manchester. Vargas was hired as superintendent in September 2016. In January 2019, he surprised school board members, the mayor, students and parents when he announced he would resign from the position. Vargas never revealed his reasons for leaving.
In March 2019, school board members hired the firm McPherson & Jacobson LLC out of Omaha, Neb., as consultants to oversee the superintendent search. School officials said the search drew responses from 11 candidates.
