Marblehead is looking for a new kind of school curriculum director

MARBLEHEAD-Superintendent of Schools Paul Dulac wants a different kind of curriculum director added to his administrative team – someone who can coordinate programs in critical thinking and problem-solving into the academic programs for kindergarten-Grade 12.Dulac discussed his plans for next year?s team with the School Committee Thursday evening as part of the Fiscal Year 2009 budget presentation. His paper on reorganization, an early draft, identified the new post as “Critical Thinking Director,” a name that Dulac said will change in the next two to three weeks as the job description is written. The School Committee postponed a budget meeting Thursday night and will meet again Feb. 28.His plan springs from his new teaching focus, which he will implement over the next four years, getting students and teachers to focus on thinking skills as well as cognitive development.?I?m still working with the administrators on this job description,” he said, noting that “the how” of the new job is as important as “the what.” Dulac said he is consulting several educators outside the system and expects to have the position better defined by the end of the month.The changes also have a practical side: “Right now I have to deal with 18 direct reports from the administrators,” he said. “That?s too many, and generally the closer you are to the problem when you make the decision the better.”In order to hire the new $84,000 curriculum director, Dulac is eliminating an $88,940 curriculum director in English and Language Arts, as well as the math curriculum director at the high school.He will retain kindergarten-Grade 8 curriculum directors in English and math and Marblehead High Principal John Ziergiebel will become the math and English and Language Arts instructional leader at his school.Dulac?s plan also involves shifting the duties of the athletic director. The athletic director will spend three-tenths of each week as assistant to the principal on building operations and seven-tenths of the week on athletic duties.