WAKEFIELD — School administrators vowed to have a new head of Athletics, Health and Wellness chosen as close as possible to the start of school year, and they hit their mark.
Yesterday, Superintendent of Schools Doug Lyons announced that Michael Murphy will be the Director of Athletics, Health and Wellness, succeeding Brendan Kent, who left earlier this summer to take a job in Everett.
Murphy was the Coordinator of Athletics, Wellness and Health Services at Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical School in Danvers.
Following is a message Lyons sent out to the community yesterday:
“I am pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Michael Murphy as the new Director of Athletics, Health, and Wellness for the Wakefield Public Schools. After a rigorous selection process involving multiple rounds of interviews, feedback from coaches, faculty, staff, and references, Mr. Murphy emerged as the ideal candidate for this important role.
“Mr. Murphy joins us from Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical School, where he has served as the Coordinator of Athletics, Wellness, and Health Services for the past three years. His experience in expanding athletic programs at Essex Tech, combined with his prior work as a Physical Education and Health Teacher, makes him a strong fit for our district.
“Mr. Murphy holds a Master of Education in Athletic Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education from Endicott College. We are confident that his expertise and leadership will be a valuable asset to our administrative team and curriculum leadership group.
“Please join me in welcoming Mr. Michael Murphy to the Wakefield Public Schools.”
A couple of weeks ago, Lyons and his administrative team updated the town on the search for a successor to Kent, who announced in an August 7 letter in the Daily Item that he was leaving the position he had held since 2015.
“We are reaching out to update you on our process for hiring a new Director of Health, Wellness and Athletics for the Wakefield Public Schools,” Lyons wrote. “First, we would like to thank outgoing Director of Health, Wellness and Athletics, Brendan Kent, for his years of service to the Wakefield community. We wish him the best as he transitions to a new position.
“The Director of Health, Wellness and Athletics is a critical position in our District. We are focused on executing a thorough process to find an excellent candidate to fill this role and lead continuous improvement in the health, wellness and athletics departments.
“Kara Mauro, Assistant Superintendent, and Amy McLeod, WMHS Principal, are leading the interview process. They have started first round interviews with a committee including administrators, the athletics administrative assistant, and a coach representative. They will narrow down to second round candidates to meet with a committee that will include additional stakeholders. We have received several impressive applications and look forward to continuing to learn more about potential candidates who will positively contribute to our district. Our goal is to have this position filled by the start of the school year. We will keep you updated along the way.”