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Date: 10/19/2022
CHICOPEE – After meeting for the first time on Sept. 14, Chicopee’s Superintendent Search Committee is making progress in the city’s search for a long-term leader for the school district.
Background
The School Department continues to seek full-time leadership after former Superintendent Lynn Clark was arrested on April 6. Assistant Superintendent Alvin Morton was named acting superintendent in the wake of Clark’s arrest on April 22, 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.
While forming the superintendent search committee, Mayor John Vieau provided insights to Reminder Publishing on creating an equitable and productive process. Vieau said he worked closely with Chief of Staff Michael Pise, who previously served on the School Committee for 29 years, to define a comprehensive group of individuals who would manage the initial search.
“It’s an exciting time not only for the school district, but also the community,” said Vieau.
The Superintendent Search Committee will analyze applicants over the school year with a goal of narrowing the field down to three to five candidates. The School Committee will then conduct interviews with the applicants before selecting the school district’s new leader.
Vieau expects the process to take most of, if not all of, the school year.
“I don’t think [the School Committee] wants to put in a new superintendent in the middle of the year,” said Vieau.
Members of the committee were formally announced during an Aug. 17 School Committee meeting. Along with Vieau, School Committee Vice Chairperson Susan Szetela-Lopes and Chicopee Education Association President Laura Demakis, Ward 7 School Committee member Donald Lamothe, Ward 2 School Committee member David Barsalou and Ward 9 School Committee member Ronald Bernard were selected via a lottery process.
The search committee also includes two school administrators, two school staff members, two parents and two community representatives. Anna Barry School Principal Kate Lambert, ChicopeeFRESH Director Melanie Wilk, Salwa Karim, Kristin Trznadel, Robin Berube and Michelle Davis were each selected during the Aug. 17 lottery.
The Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC) will also play a role in vetting qualified applications after being hired for advisement by the Chicopee School Committee. Vieau expects the vacant position to attract a wide net of interest.
“Who wouldn’t want to be the superintendent of the best school district in Western Mass.,” questioned Vieau.
Search Committee updates
Reflecting on the committee’s inaugural meeting, Vieau expressed satisfaction with the committee’s initial progress. The mayor shared that the first meeting featured an extensive orientation from MASC Field Director Elizabeth Lafond.
“She’s our point person for guidance throughout this process,” said Vieau.
The committee also voted on its respective leaders, with Lambert being chosen as chairperson and Wilk selected as vice chairperson.
Looking ahead, Vieau said the Chicopee superintendent job application has been recently released. The MASC will analyze the applications and form a list of roughly 15 to 20 qualified applicants. Once the list is formed, the Superintendent Search Committee will conduct interviews with the applicants in December before presenting a final list of three to five candidates for the School Committee to select from. The search committee’s interviews are expected to conclude by Dec. 22, according to Vieau.
The MASC is learning additional input from the community via meetings conducted throughout the initial weeks of October. The meetings focused on what residents would like to see from the new leader of the school district.
Vieau looks forward to the results of the search committee’s ongoing process.
“We’re making progress and moving forward ... It’s a new experience for me to go through this process and I am excited to work with our new superintendent,” said Vieau.