PERMANENT SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH

In February 2023, Dr. Connolly announced her intent to depart the superintendent role to pursue other opportunities. During the following weeks, the School Committee conducted a search for an interim superintendent, ultimately selecting Dr. Karen (KZ) Zaleski for the role in April. This Fall, the School Committee with substantial help from the community will run a more robust search to identify candidates for a long-term superintendent contract. This page provides information regarding their search effort.

Updates from the Chair and Vice Chair

Interview Schedule

Date Time Description
October 25th 8:30 am – 12:30 pm Semi-finalist interviews in confidential executive session.
October 27th 9:00 am – 4:00 pm Semi-finalist interviews in confidential executive session, followed by finalist selection.

Timeline

Date(s) Action(s)
August 1st & 2nd School Committee held preliminary discussions on search process options and reviewed a draft of the superintendent job description to be published widely, and for a longer duration than the interim job opening.
August 21st School Committee voted to:

  • Finalize the Superintendent Job Description and posting timelines.
  • Utilize MASC (Massachusetts Association of School Committees) staff to provide technical assistance during the search process. MASC has assisted in innumerable superintendent searches and has deep experience in this area. For more information on their experience see here.
  • Utilize subcommittees to screen applicants and conduct preliminary interviews.
August 30th – September 16th Collect interest from the community to join the Application Screening and Preliminary Interview Subcommittees using this form.
September 5th – October 6th Job posting open and broadly publicized with support from MASC.  Applications are submitted directly to MASC for collection and will be returned to the screening subcommittee in confidence.
September 18th Screening and Preliminary Interview Subcommittee members are announced at the School Committee meeting.
October 10th-20th Screening subcommittee members receive the applications, standard assessment rubric, and then meet in person for a confidential executive session to deliberate and select semi-finalists to be forwarded to the Preliminary Interview Subcommittee.
October 25th & 27th Preliminary Interview Subcommittee conducts semi-finalist interviews in confidential executive session and identifies candidates to recommend for finalist status.
October 27th – 30th Candidates selected as finalist recommendations are notified and agree to be  publicly named as potential finalists.
October 30th School Committee receives finalist candidates.
November 20th – December 1st Finalist interviews (open to the public), site visits, and opportunities for the community to engage with candidates.  Specific community events will be determined and announced later, with the potential for scheduling changes as needed and determined by the School Committee.
December 4th School Committee votes to select Permanent Superintendent.
Mid-December – January 2024 School Committee negotiates and signs a multiyear contract with an anticipated start date of July 1, 2024.