Smith selected as new superintendent of schools

Date: 4/12/2010

April 12, 2010

By Courtney Llewellyn

Reminder Assistant Editor



EAST LONGMEADOW --The School Committee hosted its interviews of the three finalists selected to fill the superintendent's seat last week. A unanimous decision was made Wednesday night.

Gordon Smith, currently serving as principal at Ludlow High School, was chosen in a 5-0 vote, which was received with a standing ovation from the principals of the East Longmeadow schools. He accepted the offer on April 6 and will become superintendent of the East Longmeadow Public Schools once contract negotiations are complete.

The superintendent position will pay between $130,000 and $140,000.

Smith served as the assistant principal at East Longmeadow High School from 2002 to 2004 and he said during his interview that since then, he's "gained some skills ... to help move East Longmeadow into the future."

"The decision [to apply for the position] for me was really about the town and the school system itself," Smith told Reminder Publications. "It made sense that I look for that connection between myself and my skills and what the town values.

"If I'm going to move, I'm going to move to the right position for me," he continued. "In my last six years in Ludlow we've done some wonderful things -- there was a paradigm shift in the process of how we're educating students."

He noted in his interview that this summer would be of utmost importance to him, meeting with the School Committee, central office staff, building principals and parents to learn what the challenges and goals of the district are.

When asked about the possibility of a 4 percent reduction in state aid in fiscal year 2011 and how he would address the school district's demand for services and needs, Smith replied that he would first look at the greatest needs of the system and that the students would always come first.

Additionally, when asked about the special education challenges the district faces, Smith noted how East Longmeadow is a leader in bringing students back into the district. "We can be more effective for students that way," he said. "The more you can collaborate the more you close the division between special education and regular education. The paramount item is communication."

Bill Fonseca, chair of the School Committee, said he felt Smith was the best candidate overall, although all three candidates were qualified for the position.

The other candidates were Isabelina Rodrigues, superintendent of Northampton schools, and Roland Joyal, principal of Chicopee High School. A total of 26 applied for the position, and the search was aided by the Massachusetts Association of School Committees.

"Honesty, integrity, open communication. He's all about the kids and the classroom. He demonstrates all the qualities we were looking for," Fonseca said. "He'll be a great fit for the community."

"First and foremost I'm going to make sure I'm accessible. I want to listen to concerns, successes and challenges," Smith stated. "My first year is going to be one of learning, especially about the strategic plan and each school's smart goals. I want to become extremely well-versed with that, and build relationships with people who can make it happen."

Smith earned his bachelor's in English literature from Middlebury College, his master's in education from the University of Bridgeport and a Master's of Education in Educational Leadership from Bridgewater State College.

He began his career as a middle school English teacher before becoming an assistant principal at Hingham Middle School, then assistant principal at East Longmeadow High School and finally principal at Ludlow High School.

Fonseca said contract negotiations will begin immediately, and the target start date for Smith is July 1.