Ocean View Schools Chief to Retire : Education: Supt. Monte McMurray does not explain why he’s leaving. District has been through much tumult.

HUNTINGTON BEACH —  Supt. Monte McMurray, who has presided over the Ocean View School District through 2 1/2 years marked by deep divisiveness and controversy, will retire when his contract expires in June, officials announced Wednesday.

McMurray, 55, told the school board of his decision Tuesday night but did not explain his reasons. He could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

“I am very surprised the superintendent chose to retire at this time,” school board President Lottie Hobbs said. “I didn’t expect it. I also don’t think you can single out any incident or experience over the duration of his tenure to explain his decisions. I believe his reasons to be very personal.”

Trustee Carolyn Hunt, who said she is “saddened and surprised” by McMurray’s decision, added that she believes that he may be growing weary of weathering one crisis after another in the 17-school district.

Most recently, McMurray has been pulled into a hiring controversy among board members. Trustee Tracy Pellman has called on her colleagues to establish guidelines that would encourage outside applicants for top jobs--and might make those jobs less secure, critics say.

Other board members have hesitated to support the proposal, which would include new policies for hiring a superintendent.

When the issue was discussed at the last school board meeting Oct. 1, several residents supporting Pellman’s proposal accused McMurray of opposing her idea to protect his job.

“There’s no question that there’s been what I believe to be a small minority (of residents and trustees) who have taken exception to the district’s direction,” Hunt said. “And when you’re the kind of team player that Monte is and so accustomed to getting full support, it may be difficult in these circumstances.”

Hunt said she believes that the hiring issue may have been among the factors leading to McMurray’s decision.

“What kind of a signal does that send to any employee in the district?” she said. “The board needs to look at these policies and look at the signal they are going to be sending to our employees.”

The other four school board members, however, either declined comment or disagreed with Hunt’s assessment.

Pellman said she doubts that her proposal influenced McMurray’s decision but added that she believes that his departure underscores the importance of new hiring policies.

“I’m hoping this change will be a positive change that will mean a better, stronger district,” she said. “If we’re going to change, I’m hoping it will be a change for the better.”

Trustee Sheila Marcus, a 12-year member of the board, downplayed recent discord. “Monte’s not the type of person to shy away from that,” she said. “I know he remarried this year, and the district has been through so many changes, maybe it’s just time for him to start a new life.”

McMurray, a soft-spoken, personable administrator, found himself trying throughout his tenure to douse one controversy after the next. Since he took office, Ocean View has weathered a heated and prolonged dispute over teacher contracts, proposed school closures, budgetary crises, a bitterly opposed property assessment and a fierce debate over a sweeping integration and grade-level reorganization that will introduce middle schools in September.

“He’s never let his own sorrow besiege him, no matter what problems have arisen,” Marcus said about McMurray. “He’s always been encouraging.”

McMurray was appointed in 1989, after Supt. Dale Coogan died. He has been an educator for 32 years and has been with Ocean View since becoming a principal in the district in 1971.