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Westhampton School Committee talks options following Osborne’s resignation

Date: 8/25/2020

WESTHAMPTON – In the wake of the sudden resignation of Hampshire Regional Superintendent Aaron Osborne on Aug. 14, the Westhampton School Committee began discussing possible options for replacing him on Aug. 18.

The superintendent advised the chairs of the school committees that make up the district that while contractually his employment would end on Oct. 13, his last day of work would be Aug. 28.

“While my contract contains a provision for 60 days notice, at least two districts have made it clear that their desire is not to renew my contract and I have been compelled to agree not to
seek such,” Osborne wrote in his resignation letter. “Therefore, I must presume that it is in the interest of all parties that I vacate the position with haste.”

Osborne has 25 vacation days for the 2020-21 school year, eight compensatory days and 30 accrued vacation days from the 2019-20 school year. He informed the chairs of his intent to fulfill the 60-day requirement by utilizing the 2020-21 compensatory and vacation time as well as two accrued vacation days. In utilizing this time off, Osborne would continue to receive pay and benefits through his last day on Oct. 13 and then would be paid out for his 28 remaining accrued vacation days.

Osborne was hired in 2018 and his contract was due to expire at the end of the 2020-21 school year. In 2019, he agreed not to seek a renewal of his contract after a group of teachers at Hampshire Regional High School issued a vote of no confidence in the superintendent.

Reminder Publishing made multiple attempts to reach Osborne, but he did not respond as of press time. On Aug. 20, Osborne posted on his HRSD Superintendent Facebook group an internet meme containing the phrase “Silence isn’t empty, it’s full of answers.” The post has since been removed. It was the first update on the site since July 26 when he uploaded a video of a July 23 forum regarding Southampton’s William E. Norris School.

Several attempts to reach Hampshire Regional High School Committee Chair Carl Schlerman, Westhampton School Committee Chair Brigid O’Riordan and Southampton School Committee Chair Jon Lumbra also went unanswered.

At the Westhampton School Committee meeting, O’Riordan was given permission by a unanimous vote to explore the option of an interim superintendent. O’Riordan stressed during the meeting she could only represent Westhampton in any discussions but hoped for a collaborative effort with the district’s other school committees.

"The hope is that all five of us, if we come to that conclusion, will be able to share one superintendent,” she said.

The Westhampton School Committee additionally discussed the option of having the individual school principals act as superintendents in the interim until June.

One option not on the table is the pursuit of an immediate full-time replacement for Osborne.

O’Riordan told the committee it would be too difficult to conduct a proper search for a permanent superintendent, citing “too much unrest in the whole district” with Southampton exploring “whether they want to be part of our larger district as far as the central office and superintendent are concerned,” COVID-19 uncertainty and other personnel issues. She also noted the tight timetable before the start of school.

“I think we learned last time that we were kind of racing against Easthampton and I think being in a rush is not helpful,” she said.

O’Riordan said she the Massachusetts Association of School Committees provided a list of names of “seasoned” superintendents that could be possibilities to fill an interim position. She noted that retired superintendents would be near the top of any list of potential candidates.

She also indicated the district’s legal counsel, Fred Dupere, has suggested hiring an interim superintendent.

“He’s worried about factionalizing the district,” she said.

Committee member Peter Cleary asked if the concern was that the current situation was accelerating an already existing discussion in Southampton of leaving the district. O’Riordan admitted the fact that each school committee decided upon different avenues for reopening of schools was “a sign of that fracturing” and the lack of guidance from the superintendent may have been a contributing factor in that situation.

“I think under a seasoned superintendent, maybe the choice might have been different or the options might have been different. It may have been more advice from the top, which is what I think we were all looking for a little bit more, especially as we’re making these decisions that we feel should be at least advised on,” she said.

While he agreed with the long-term need for leadership from the top, Cleary wondered if an interim superintendent would be able to do anything unifying in a short tenure.

In discussing the possibility of principals filling the superintendent void, O’Riordan said a concern raised was the notion that by giving principals experience as superintendents, it could open the door for those principals to seek superintendent jobs elsewhere. Committee member Morley Cleary said that issue shouldn’t be a consideration as the district should not attempt to prevent employees from seeking career opportunities.

Business Administrator Bobbie Jones also said the additional salary for principals to become superintendents might have to be absorbed by elementary school budgets and those budgets do not currently account for that. She explained the current funding budgeted for the superintendent was under the shared services budget and questioned whether they would be able to move that money.

O’Riordan also raised a concern regarding personnel issues. She noted the districts are currently in negotiations with the teachers’ respective collective bargaining units and was uncomfortable with the idea of principals negotiating directly with subordinates.

Westhampton Elementary School Principal Deane Bates said from a school-specific perspective, bringing in an interim superintendent would be difficult in such a short window and getting someone up to speed would actually increase his workload.

“I can certainly see an interim from a district-wide perspective, but from my narrow perspective of Westhampton Elementary, I’m not sure that that would be the most helpful option.”

He said he did not have the proper certification but emergency certification through the Department of Education was possible and he had the knowledge to complete the position’s requirements.

“I don’t want to sound pompous; I’ve sort of been acting as a de facto superintendent for the past 12 years,” he said, adding he already works directly with  central office staff such as Jones, Director of Pupil Services Nancy Parlakulas and Director of Curriculum and Instruction Kate Mesmer.

Later in the meeting, Bates clarified, “I was just offering a perspective. I’m not trying to sell myself for a job; I’m not interested in the job. I’m trying to give you options that I think could be good for our school.”

Jones also said she believed the principals could absorb the responsibility.

“Really, as a quick answer, as an interim, I think the principals essentially have been working over this last year as the superintendent – in reality, not de facto, but in reality – because they’ve had to,” she said.

The Westhampton School Committee followed up the meeting with a meeting in executive session to discuss strategy on Aug. 20. The Southampton School Committee also conducted a meeting in executive session to discuss non-union personnel matters on Aug. 19.