The Lynn School Committee had exactly the candidate it needed to fill the important job of secretary of the School Committee. But Charles N. Gallo, former committee member, is not one of three finalists for the job.
The committee will interview Mary E. Jules, Joseph B. Martin and Frances Martinez for the job on Thursday night. The three finalists are competent professionals who by any measure love Lynn and care about its public schools. But Jules, Martin and Martinez lack the critical experience that only Gallo possesses.
The description for the job encompasses the duties secretaries traditionally perform: Preparing notices, keeping correspondence and maintaining records. But committee members admit the job is much more than a clerical role. It involves coordinating close communication between school administrators and the committee as well as addressing constituent concerns brought to committee members and fielding calls and questions.
“It’s not a 9-to-5 job,” said committee member Brian K. Castellanos.
A relatively new committee member, Castellanos is perceptive enough to note that the secretary job is “… so important as we move forward with a new superintendent.” Gallo served on the committee from 2012 to 2016. He saw first-hand how former Secretary Thomas P. Iarrobino performed the secretary’s job. He saw first-hand how colleagues and former School Superintendent Dr. Catherine C. Latham worked with Iarrobino and relied on his skills.
Gallo, simply put and hands down, was the committee’s best choice following candidate interviews last Monday and Tuesday to be the committee secretary. He possesses the experience and knowledge to hit the ground running to perform the job and ensure the committee and Superintendent Dr. Patrick Tutwiler don’t skip a beat in their efforts to make Lynn’s schools even greater.
