Swampscott interviews first of three super candidates

SWAMPSCOTT – The first candidate to be interviewed for the Swampscott Public Schools Superintendent vacancy dispelled controversy about why he left his previous position in an open interview conducted by the school committee last night.Edward W. Costa II began the meeting by explaining the circumstances that led to his resignation as superintendent of East Longmeadow Public Schools in December after 11 years on the job.Costa said that threats a parent made toward the principal of an East Longmeadow elementary school two years ago were serious enough to request a no-trespassing order to the parent. The parent’s 11-year-old special needs child was reportedly asked to walk home from school, which led to child endangerment charges and other complaints against Costa by the parent. Costa said that since the initial incident occurred, the parent has made seven formal complaints against Costa, all of which have been formally dismissed in court.”Prior to last year, I have never been involved in a lawsuit professionally or personally,” Costa said. “I hope you would want a superintendent who will take a stand for your staff and the students in your schools.”Costa told the committee that he tendered his resignation at his previous job and was not terminated or asked to leave, although local media called it a “mutual agreement” between the school committee and Costa when the announcement was made last October. He said he understands parents and staff may be skeptical of bringing in a superintendent in his situation, but he was confident his face time at school events and advocacy for education would win over the community.”(General Motors) has cars on an assembly line that can’t talk to them, but we can see the fruits of our labors and that is the most rewarding part about what we do,” Costa said. “At night I’m at school functions, because that is my down time, that is the dividends of our work.”Costa also discussed his plans for the district if he is chosen, including a marketing plan to help promote the school system to potential home buyers and others who may be considering enrolling their children in private or charter schools. He also said he would try to find the initial cause of what he called a “systemic problem” of drops in enrollment in the city’s five schools.”You need to do a root cause analysis and your schools should have data teams right now,” he said. He is also a strong supporter of special education, which he said helped draw students back to East Longmeadow who had sought out better programs in neighboring communities.Costa also responded to the committee’s budget concerns; the budget is slated for $25.2 million next year, an increase over last year in a time when many schools are cutting costs. He said he doesn’t think state revenues will support the proposed budget, or the proposed increase in the five-year plan, but is unsure if the problem can be solved quickly.”The answers are going to have to come from within the community,” Costa said. “You have to develop your plan after you plan your work and vice versa. The superintendent will have to do less talking and more listening.”Prior to his time in East Longmeadow, Costa was the executive director of secondary schools in Muskogee, Okla. He also served as principal and director of secondary schools at various public school systems in Oklahoma. Costa holds a doctorate in education administration, curriculum and supervision from the University of Oklahoma.