The Massachusetts Association of School Committees has recommended that the Marblehead School Committee begin looking for a long-term interim superintendent rather than attempt to bring in a permanent role at the end of the school year.
In a memorandum sent to the committee, MASC Executive Director Glenn Koocher stated that he strongly recommends the School Committee immediately begin a search for an interim superintendent who can serve through academic 2025 and possibly 2026 while citing multiple reasons.
The memorandum was sent a day after the committee went through a “district in transition” training with Koocher that was sparked from a letter to the editor, signed by more than 750 community members online, and gave the committee a failing grade in several areas.
Committee Chair Sarah Fox said that members took the letter very seriously and subsequently decided to hold a training session in response at Thursday’s School Committee meeting.
Koocher listed “timing” as one of the most important factors in his decision, citing that the committee is extremely behind in its search process.
“We are two-thirds into the academic year, and most of the searches for superintendencies are either concluded or nearing conclusion,” Koocher said in the memorandum.
He also noted that most candidates are required to give six months’ notice for departures.
“It is late in the searching season, and the best candidates have been hired away or will be prior to mid-March,” he continued. “Mid-February is too late to begin a superintendent search and expect a larger pool of qualified and potentially successful leaders.”
Other districts in the area have either already completed searches or are close.
Melrose announced its finalists for the position in November, including former Marblehead Superintendent John Buckey. Others, like Norton and Groton-Dunstable, had plans to name finalists by the end of January.
Marblehead, on the other hand, began discussions for a permanent superintendent search in January. The committee decided to go with an interim superintendent in the fall, and the position was given to Theresa McGuinness.
McGuinness had originally expressed interest in putting her name in for the permanent position but announced at the beginning of January that she would pursue another path. Koocher said that the district is lucky that it is even in the position it currently finds itself in.
“You are fortunate to have your current interim superintendent through the rest of the year to try to bring stability,” Koocher said.
He also provided a list of ten questions that most candidates will ask during the hiring process but said that “at this time, some of the answers will not be helpful.”
Most notably, the first question asks, “Why is there a vacancy, and under what circumstances did the former superintendent(s) depart?”
At the end of the memorandum, Koocher cites the district’s high turnover rate as an obstacle for future superintendent hires.
“There has been an exodus of superintendents, including the announced departure of the current interim superintendent. Also, your school business officer is departing, and the special education section is also in transition,” he said.
“In addition, letters to the editor that are critical of the district leadership, including the School Committee, regardless of whether the allegations included are accurate or not, have damaged the reputation of the board and the community. Potential candidates for the superintendency will be intimidated by having to step into this district at this time, with the exception of interim candidates who would not be expected to solve the public relations and stability questions,” Koocher added.
