DANVERS — The search is on for a new superintendent for the Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical school district.
William Lupini, the current superintendent, is leaving in August to lead the Hampton, N.H. school district. Essex Technical High School serves students from 17 North Shore districts, including Peabody, Lynnfield, Swampscott, Nahant, and Marblehead.
“We’ve decided to go with the Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC) for assistance with the selection process,” said Beverley Ann Griffin Dunne, Peabody’s representative on the Essex Tech school committee. “We’re having the MASC conduct a survey asking for comments from people in all 17 member communities.”
The survey is available on the municipal websites of the district’s member communities. It will close on March 14, and the Essex Tech school committee will tabulate results at its March 15 meeting.
Topics covered in the survey include qualities desired in a new superintendent and the top issues the new superintendent will face.
The goal is to have a new superintendent hired in time to work with Lupini before Lupini heads to New Hampshire, said Gary Hathaway, Lynnfield’s representative to the district school committee.
“It would definitely be a plus for us to get somebody with vocational education experience, but it would not be a disqualifier if they didn’t have that experience,” said Hathaway.
For Dunne, the superintendent search is a familiar process. As a member of the Peabody School Committee, she took part in a multi-year search process to replace interim superintendent Herb Levine.
“It’s very interesting,” she said. “I can see a distinct difference in the searches. The world of vocational education is much smaller with a smaller pool of qualified candidates.”
Dunne and Hathaway both said Lupini did a good job stabilizing and leading the school district.
“He brought stability to Essex Tech,” said Dunne. “The other committee members I’ve spoken to have all mentioned that Lupini is leaving the school in a good place and made a lot of positive changes.”
In 2004, the state legislature approved the merger of the North Shore Vocational Technical School, Essex Agricultural Institute, and the Peabody High vocational programs. The Essex Technical High School opened in 2014.
Prior to coming to the Essex Technical district in 2015, Lupini served as superintendent in Brookline for 11 years, in Beverly for seven years, and in Kutztown, Penn. for two years.
“Dr. Lupini took over at a very critical time when the three schools merged,” said Hathaway. “It was a pretty big job, and he did it very well.”
