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Date: 1/11/2023
CHICOPEE – Chicopee Public Schools Acting Superintendent Alvin Morton, Lee-Tyringham Union 29 School District Superintendent Michael J. Richard and Windham Public Schools Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives Marcus L. Ware were named as the three finalists for Chicopee’s ongoing superintendent search during the School Committee’s Jan. 4 meeting.
The Chicopee School Department continues to seek full-time leadership after former Superintendent Lynn Clark was arrested on April 6, 2022. Assistant superintendent Morton was named acting superintendent in the wake of Clark’s arrest on April 22, 2022, with the School Committee approving a one-year contract on June 1 for Morton to be the interim superintendent for the 2022-23 school year.
In August 2022, a Superintendent Search Committee formed that encompasses Mayor John Vieau, School Committee members, educational staff, members of the public, and Chicopee Education Association President Laura Demakis. The committee worked in tandem with the Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC), who served an advisory role throughout the process.
Over the course of several meetings, the Superintendent Search Committee analyzed 17 applicants with a goal of narrowing the field down to three to five candidates. The committee reduced the field to seven candidates for interviews before two candidates withdrew from the search. The five remaining candidates underwent extensive interviews before the search committee reached consensus on the three selected finalists.
Anna E. Barry Principal and Superintendent Search Committee Chairperson Kate Lambert announced the finalists.
“We are confident that we have shared with the committee three candidates that each bring with them varied experiences and qualifications required to become superintendent,” said Lambert.
Morton has served as an assistant superintendent in Chicopee since 2007 before becoming the interim superintendent in 2022. Prior to his role at Lee-Tyringham, Richard worked for six years as the superintendent of West Springfield Public Schools, while Ware previously worked as an assistant principal and principal for Windham Middle School before joining the Windham district’s administrative team.
The School Committee then shifted discussion toward organizing site visit and interview processes. Vieau said that a team of School Committee members will conduct site visits during the day before interviewing the candidate at night during School Committee special meetings. Each candidate will be scheduled for this commitment on separate days. Vieau’s Chief of Staff Michael Pise will act as a liaison for when the superintendent applicants visit Chicopee Public Schools.
Vieau and the committee agreed upon Jan. 23, 24 and 25 for the respective dates. The dates could potentially change in case of inclement weather.
Attendance for the interviews will be open to the public, but the discussions will not be aired on ChicopeeTV until all interviews are completed. Each are expected to start at 6:30 p.m. and last for 75 minutes.
“We would refrain from publicly sharing them on ChicopeeTV until all interviews are conducted,” said Vieau.
Morton will be interviewed on Jan. 23, Richard will be interviewed on Jan. 24 and Ware will be interviewed on Jan. 25. Each candidate will visit the school district on those assigned dates.
The School Committee also discussed how to execute the site visits. Vieau initially suggested that a team of two School Committee members perform each site visit. Each visit will include discussions with city leaders, education administrators, teachers, students, financial administrators and education associations.
The committee ultimately preferred sending more School Committee members to the site visits. Ward 1 School Committee member Timothy Wagner, Ward 5 School Committee member Grace Schofield, Ward 6 School Committee member Samuel Shumsky, Ward 7 School Committee member Donald Lamothe and Ward 8 School Committee member Douglas Girouard volunteered to perform the site visits. School Committee Vice Chairperson Susan Szetela Lopes will serve as an alternate.
The School Committee members performing the site visits will then publicly debrief the committee on their findings after the interviews. The committee will then have the final decision on who is Chicopee Public Schools’ next superintendent.
The School Committee will meet again on Jan. 18.