By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — The School Committee voted 4-1 to form the Assistant Superintendent Search Committee during a July 10 meeting.
The search committee was formed after the School Committee voted to appoint Interim Superintendent Tom Geary as permanent superintendent of Lynnfield Public Schools (see separate story). The next assistant superintendent will succeed former Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Kevin Cyr, who recently left the district after accepting a similar position with the Masconoment Regional School District.
School Committee Chair Kate DePrizio said the nine-member Assistant Superintendent Search Committee will tentatively consist of Geary, two school board members, a principal, an elementary school curriculum director, Lynnfield Teachers Association President Alex Cellucci, a Lynnfield High School department head and two parents. She said the search committee’s composition could change depending on summer schedules.
“Our goal is to have a well-rounded committee,” said DePrizio.
Geary agreed.
“I need someone who is complimentary to me and the skills that I have,” Geary. “I need to have a collaborative partner to work side-by-side with me. This position will provide another layer of stability for the district.”
Geary said the next assistant superintendent’s role will be different than Cyr’s.
“The prior position focused very heavily on professional development, process and planning,” said Geary. “I think we need more than that. The position was budgeted for this year, so there is no financial impact.”
Geary said the next assistant superintendent will focus on “curriculum, instruction and evaluating performance.”
“That is the biggest need that we have,” said Geary. “In addition to evaluating our instructional programs and providing recommendations, we need to evaluate where we have gaps and what we need.”
Geary said the next assistant superintendent will oversee the school system’s curriculum directors, department heads, coordinators, technology staff, nurses, METCO Director Curtis Blyden and “various other positions.”
Additionally, Geary said he wants the next assistant superintendent to help form a team that was similar to the one that consisted of him, retired Superintendent Jane Tremblay and former Special Education Director Kara Mauro several years ago.
“We had a really functional three-headed team,” said Geary. “I loved the strategic planning that we did and I loved the forecasting and district initiatives that we had. I would love to get back to that, and this position would be a key player.”
In addition to needing an assistant superintendent, the School Department is also searching for a permanent student services director to oversee the special education department. Former Student Services Director Roberta Keane passed away from stage 4 pancreatic cancer on June 25, which occurred days before her retirement. She began working for the school system in August 2018.
Geary said the next assistant superintendent will “advocate needs” for students, teachers and administrators.
“I will be in the buildings obviously, but the assistant superintendent would be the eyes and ears and a receptive person that anyone could go to,” said Geary. “That is what we need.”
Geary posted the assistant superintendent position on July 11. He said DePrizio and School Committeeman Jim Dillon will be serving on a subcommittee that will be tasked with helping him evaluate candidates’ resumes. He said the subcommittee will recommend how many candidates the Assistant Superintendent Search Committee will be interviewing for the job.
After the search committee interviews candidates in executive session, Geary said the School Committee will interview the finalists publicly and will vote to appoint the next assistant superintendent.
“I am expecting a qualified pool,” said Geary. “We are trying to move this along. The person might have contractual obligations. If we find the ideal candidate, we will work within that. We want to get there. We need to start now and move quickly.”
School Committee member Jamie Hayman asked if there are any internal candidates who are interested in the assistant superintendent job.
“No one has expressed interest yet,” said Geary.
Hayman also inquired if there are any school employees who Geary feels “would be good candidates for this position.”
“Yes, but I don’t know if they are interested,” said Geary.
DePrizio, Dillon, School Committee Vice Chair Kristen Grieco Elworthy and School Committee member Jenny Sheehan voted to form the Assistant Superintendent Search Committee. Hayman voted no.
Parents and guardians who are interested in serving on the Assistant Superintendent Search Committee should email a letter of interest to Lynnfield Public Schools Executive Assistant Annmarie McCormick at mccormickan@lynnfield.k12.ma.us by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, July 17.
According to a letter that the School Committee emailed parents and guardians on July 12, the Assistant Superintendent Search Committee will tentatively be interviewing candidates on Tuesday, July 30 and Thursday, Aug. 1 from 3:15 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Central Office.
“Please only apply if you are able to commit to both days of interviews,” the School Committee stated in the letter.
Geary also announced during the meeting that former digital learning coach Rochelle Cooper has been appointed as the district’s next educational technology director. Cooper succeeds former Educational Technology Director Stephanie Hoban, who recently left the School Department after being placed on paid administrative leave earlier this year.
“Rochelle is going to oversee educational technology for grades K-12,” said Geary. “She is well-respected and is a former teacher in the district who has worked at all levels. She has done great already.”
