MARBLEHEAD — In a statement released last week, the Marblehead School Committee announced that Assistant Superintendent for Operations and Finance Michelle Cresta will serve as the district’s acting superintendent, replacing Dr. John Buckey after he resigned last week.
In the statement, the committee said that she will serve as the acting super “while the School Committee determines next steps for the interim role.”
A day after being named acting super, Cresta addressed the district’s staff in an email.
“I want to emphasize that our jobs remain the same today as they were yesterday. We will open our doors in September for the 2023-24 school year as we normally would,” Cresta said in the email. “Our goals and responsibilities remain unchanged. We must remain focused on the purpose for which we are all here, our students. ”
The decision to name Cresta acting superintendent follows the release of a joint statement between the School Committee and Buckey Wednesday in which Buckey’s resignation from the position was announced. In the week prior to Buckey’s resignation, Cresta was named superintendent designee.
“The School Committee has complete faith that Ms. Cresta and the current leadership team will take all necessary actions to ensure a successful opening of the coming school year and we look forward to supporting them,” the statement released Thursday reads.
Cresta added in the email that transitions like these are difficult, but asked staff to remain focused on the future.
“It is not lost on me that this change is not easy. Change is never easy,” she said. “However, it is important that we keep the focus on our mission, goals and job. We are all in this together.
Cresta will serve as the acting superintendent until the School Committee takes its next steps in appointing an interim superintendent. After an interim is named, the committee will begin a search for a permanent replacement. The committee is set to meet on Friday at 12 p.m. as a whole for the first time since Buckey’s resignation. A number of different items on the agenda will be discussed including “Ratification of Separation Agreement,” an open-meeting complaint, and an interim superintendent.
The committee will also meet in executive session to “review, approve, and consider for release,” minutes from executive sessions held on Friday, Jul. 21 and Monday, July. 31 that involved contract negotiations with Buckey.
Buckey’s resignation was the result of multiple contract negotiations, which ultimately led to a settlement agreement between him and the committee. According to the agreement, which was signed by Buckey and School Committee Chair Sarah Fox on Wednesday, Buckey will be on paid administrative leave until Dec. 31, 2023, after which he will sign a letter of resignation. The agreement also states that he will be paid in accordance with the current pay schedule, which includes his salary for the 2023-24 school year.
Buckey will receive a lump-sum payment of $94,350 on Jan. 2, 2024.
As part of the settlement, Buckey agreed to “remise, release, absolve, acquit, and forever discharge the Marblehead Public Schools and the Marblehead School Committee (individually, and as a whole) … from any and all actions, causes of action, suits, accounts, debts, claims, demands, controversies, and liabilities of every nature, both at law and in equity, whether known or unknown, apparent or not apparent, past or present.”
Buckey’s attorney, Mike Long, did not return multiple requests for comment.
