Bayless, who has been superintendent since 1997, said the decision was not easy to make. The county offered him the position of Assistant Superintendent for Fiscal and Operational Services - in fact, at one point the county sent out a press release announcing Bayless' appointment.
But news of Bayless' departure was premature. He said that one thing that drew him to the county job was the opportunity to work with the current County Superintendent Floyd Gonella and the incoming one, John Mehl. But he feels good about his decision to remain at Cabrillo.
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School board President Ken Jones seconds that emotion. Jones said it would be almost impossible to replace Bayless, because of his educational background and financial expertise.
"He is not only the superintendent but the Chief Financial Officer as well," Jones said.
Bayless said he wanted to stay and finish the modernization of the schools. He feels people in the community have always treated him with respect and his colleagues are the best he has worked with.
"We're like a family, the district office," he said. "We have a great staff; our teachers and classified staff are very good. It's hard to leave a group like that."
Bayless said that, now that he has made the decision, he feels like a ton of bricks have been lifted off of his shoulders.
"You have to go with your gut feeling sometimes," he said. "It's a wonderful opportunity (at the county level), and if it was four years from now, maybe that would be different."
Those words are music to Jones' ear.
"It speaks well for our district that he chose to stay with us and see through all the problems the district is going through," Jones said. "It's nice to win one."
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