Published in the February 8, 2017 edition
By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — Thirty people have applied for the Summer Street School principal’s job, Superintendent of Schools Jane Tremblay told the Villager last week.
The school department is currently searching for a permanent Summer Street leader after former Principal Jen DiBiase resigned last December in the aftermath of an incident that occurred on a METCO bus in November. Tremblay appointed Gregory Hurray as Summer Street’s interim principal last month.
According to a job description posted on the website SchoolSpring, the ideal candidate would have a master’s degree and skills in the areas of administration, supervision and instructional leadership. School officials are also looking for a candidate with at least “five years of teaching experience at the elementary school level within the last 10 years.”
The candidate must also have “certification or qualifications for certification as an elementary school principal in Massachusetts.”
Additionally, the next Summer Street School principal will “involve parents in the decision-making process,” high expectations and “believes and promotes an expectation that all students can learn.” The next Summer Street School leader will also “promote fiscal responsibility and accountability,” and will demonstrate “a caring attitude for staff members, students and parents.”
Teaching and Learning Director Kevin Cyr and Huckleberry Hill School Principal Brian Bemiss are leading an interview committee, which will be evaluating prospective candidates. In addition to Cyr and Bemiss, the interview committee includes English/Social Studies Curriculum Director Maureen Fennessy; Summer Street School teachers Patti Heldenbergh, Emma Bartlett, Alex Caram and Lorie Kelly; and parents Sharla Sieve, Stacy Dahlstedt and Tricia Murphy.
“The responsibility of the interview committee is to review resumes, identify appropriate candidates, conduct initial interviews and make recommendations for finalist candidates,” said Tremblay.
According to the principal search timeline, the job was posted from Jan. 23 to February 3. After the Feb. 3 deadline, school officials conducted “preliminary screenings to select candidates.” Tremblay said between five and 10 candidates will be interviewed.
School officials continued screening prospective candidates earlier this week in order to “select candidates for the interview committee.” The interview committee will meet on Friday, Feb. 10 to “discuss candidate applications” and review the interview process. The first round of interviews will take place on Feb. 13 and 14, which will be done privately due to confidentiality reasons.
According to the timeline, the interview committee’s second round of interviews will take place on March 1 and 2, which is when the semifinalists will be selected. The semifinalists will be visiting Summer Street School March 6 to 10 to “meet faculty, staff and parents.”
Tremblay will be interviewing the finalists March 13 to 15. She will make a decision about the next Summer Street School principal on March 17. The tentative start date for the next principal is July 1.