Published March 11, 2020
By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD —Thirty-four people have applied for the superintendent of schools job.
The School Committee is currently searching for a new superintendent in the wake of current Superintendent Jane Tremblay deciding to retire this June. Tremblay has led the school system for almost six years.
The Superintendent Screening Committee has been interviewing semifinalists this week. School Committee Chairman Jamie Hayman said during a recent meeting that the semifinalists will be interviewed in executive session, which is allowed by state law.
“That is designed to protect the identity of the applicants,” said Hayman. “They are not required at this point to let their districts know they are looking at other positions.”
The 14-member Superintendent Screening Committee consists of School Finance Director/committee chairman Tom Geary, School Committee members Tim Doyle and Phil McQueen, Teaching and Learning Director Kevin Cyr, Lynnfield High School Principal Bob Cleary, Street School fourth grade teacher Lorie Kelly, Elementary English Language Arts/Social Studies Curriculum Director Maureen Fennessy, Lynnfield Middle School sixth grade English teacher Heather Vowels and Lynnfield High School social studies teacher Liz LaMonica.
The committee also consists of Huckleberry Hill School parent representative Chris Mattia, Summer Street School/Lynnfield Preschool parent representative Joseph Attubato, Lynnfield Middle School parent representative David Mattingly, Lynnfield High School parent Kerry Harrison and community representative Kelly Mertens.
Hayman noted the Screening Committee will be working with Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC) field director Dorothy Presser in reviewing “the selection criteria for evaluating candidates for the position of superintendent.” Presser served on the Lynnfield School Committee for 21 years before stepping down last year.
The School Committee wants the next superintendent to have excellent educational leadership skills and to be an effective communicator. The school board also wants the district’s next leader to promote an inclusive culture and have strong administration and management skills.
According to the job description, the next superintendent needs to be “licensed or eligible for licensure as a superintendent of schools in Massachusetts.” The School Committee is requiring the next superintendent to have a master’s degree, but prefers candidates who have an advanced degree. Additionally, the School Committee wants the next superintendent to have at least 12 years of experience working in education, including teaching. The school board prefers candidates who have at least eight years of teaching experience.
Hayman said the Screening Committee will be interviewing any internal candidates who apply for the superintendent of schools job. He also said the Screening Committee will be interviewing any residents who apply for the job and “meet the minimal qualifications for the role.”
According to Hayman, the Screening Committee will present the list of finalists to the School Committee on Tuesday, March 17 “unless another date is agreed upon.”
Hayman proposed that the Screening Committee recommend between three and five finalists for the School Committee to consider.
Doyle recalled that a former screening committee had trouble identifying three finalists 10 years ago and ultimately decided to recommend two for the school board to consider.
“Does the Screening Committee have the flexibility to just present two finalists should we get to that point?” Doyle inquired.
School Committee Vice Chairman Rich Sjoberg recalled that he served on the Town Administrator Search Committee two years ago, and said that committee recommended two finalists to the Board of Selectmen.
“We had a number of people apply,” said Sjoberg. “Over the course of our review and the interviews, it got down to two people.”
Hayman said Doyle and Sjoberg raised valid points. After the discussion, the School Committee authorized the Screening Committee to recommend between two and five finalists.
Sjoberg thanked Hayman for all of the work he has done throughout the superintendent search process.