During a special meeting Wednesday night, the School Committee voted to appoint vice chair Jamie Wronka and member Kyla McSweeney to serve on the interview panel for the director of student services position.
Current director Abigail Hanscom is retiring. Her contract ends June 30, according to Superintendent Carol Cavanaugh.
The superintendent said the district received 14 applications. She described seven of those candidates as “credentialed and viable.”
Carol Cavanaugh, who is retiring on June 30 as well, said it is an interesting situation in that she is involved with the hiring process when the next superintendent, Evan Bishop, will be the administrator working with the new director of student services.
Therefore, she and Bishop are working jointly and “are under the gun a little bit” with the timing of the process.
They also are working closely with the two assistant superintendents, Jeff LaBroad and Susan Rothermich, as well as Ashoke Ghosh, director of technology, digital learning and innovation, to narrow the field to possibly five candidates, she said.
The superintendent also described a large panel that will interview the candidates on April 17. Membership includes a representative from the Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) as well as SPED educators (moderate and intensive), SPED department chair, a parent of a special needs student, the SPED curriculum director and others.
The plan is to hold a Meet the Candidates event on April 29 with various stakeholders and have feedback forms available to garner input.
Carol Cavanaugh said a recommendation would be brought to the School Committee on May 1.
The superintendent noted the position requires an administrative special education license, and the district would be “better off with someone who has done the job for some time,” although competent candidates also could be found from other special education positions “that know the drill.”
The brief meeting adjourned to an executive session regarding a collective bargaining agreement with the incoming superintendent.
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