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Date: 7/28/2016
WILBRAHAM – Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School Committee Chair Lisa Morace introduced the district’s new superintendent Albert Ganem Jr. during its July 19 meeting.
“This is literally my sixth day as superintendent of [HWRSD],” Ganem noted. “I finished on Worcester on Monday and rolled into Hampden-Wilbraham on Tuesday. I spend two days down on [Cape Cod] at the superintendent’s conference and they have a couple days for new superintendents where I’m being trained as well too.”
Ganem, the former district manager of professional learning for Worcester Public Schools, was one of three finalists for the superintendency. Others included HWRSD Assistant Superintendent for Business Beth Regulbuto and Kimberly Merrick administrator of special education for the Wachusett Regional School District.
The School Committee also voted unanimously to change Regulbuto’s title to associate superintendent of schools during the meeting.
Morace said the decision was made due to Regulbuto’s hard work and dedication to the district.
“[This is] to recognize the fact that she does not only run the business office, but she has a lot of other duties that come under her umbrella. We wanted to honor her by changing her title to associate superintendent of schools,” she added.
In other business, the School Committee officially accepted the resignation of former Chair Peter Salerno, who temporarily rescinded his resignation to conclude contract negotiations with Ganem. He was the sole negotiator representing the committee.
“As I give my resignation I want to thank all the committee members I’ve worked with over the years,” Salerno, who has served 17 consecutive years on the committee, said. “I’d like to thank all the folks that have supported the education of our children, even those who have disagreed with positions we have taken. I want to thank them for their input. This is not an issue of who is right. This is an issue on balance. What we do is right.”
Salerno said he’s been “blessed” by serving on the committee.
Morace said the committee has 30 days to inform the Board of Selectmen of the vacancy on the School Committee.
Salerno said the Wilbraham members of the committee and the three members of the Board of Selectmen would choose a new School Committee member.
In other business, Ganem told the committee a new enrollment trend study for the district conducted by the New England League of Middle Schools (NELMS) has been released, but he and district staff had yet to review the document.
Ganem said he would present the study to the committee at a meeting in the near future.