Search for Saugus super narrowed to 3 candidates

SAUGUS – School Committee Chairman Wendy Reed said she?s excited to have “three great candidates” to lead the Saugus School District.The School Committee and Superintendent Search Committee announced three finalists for the superintendent position Monday: Ann Bradshaw, the current superintendent in Mashpee, Patricia Lally, the assistant superintendent in Tewksbury, and Michael Tempesta, the Milford High School principal.The announcement came nearly two months after the Superintendent Search Committee was formed. Reed said more than 20 applicants were interviewed.?It was a good pool,” said Reed. “They were great candidates. It was the consensus of the Search Committee. We held first interviews to screen them then held second interviews for candidates we were really interested in. These three really stood out so the School Committee decided to pronounce all three finalists. It?s very exciting.”Reed said the three will each spend a day in Saugus next week to visit schools, and meet staff and residents. The School Committee will then hold an open meeting to further interview the candidates on Thursday, May 16.Current Superintendent Richard Langlois was named superintendent of the Marlborough School District in January after five years in Saugus. Langlois submitted a letter of resignation to the School Committee in February and will start in Marlborough on July 1.The Marlborough School Committee approved a three-year contract starting at $185,000 for Langlois, according to the MetroWest Daily News.Langlois? current contract with Saugus, which was renewed for four years in September of 2011, pays him $153,000.Reed said a decision on naming a new superintendent could be made as soon as next Thursday?s meeting.?It?s up to the committee,” she said. “If they feel comfortable and confident enough the night of the 16th at the end of the meeting, we?ll do that. If not we?ll set a date to make a final decision. It?s definitely going to be in May.”Reed said the Search Committee will remain “very involved” in the process up until a superintendent is hired and will help do reference checks and develop final questions.?Everybody is working on something,” said Reed. “They have been a wonderful group and I can?t say that enough. All the input, all the hard work and coming to the meetings. Everyone took it seriously which I really, really was thankful for.”Finalist Michael Tempesta is no relation to Daily Item reporter Matt Tempesta.Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].