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Warwick selected as new school superintendent

Date: 6/20/2012

June 20, 2012

By G. Michael Dobbs

news@thereminder.com

NEWS ANALYSIS

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield native Daniel Warwick said the decision by the School Committee to offer him the job of superintendent of the state's second largest school district was his dream coming true.

"I just couldn't feel any better," he told the press after the decision on June 18. Warwick has spent 36 years working for the Springfield school district from starting as a teacher to his present position as deputy school superintendent.

The announcement that Warwick had been selected was met with cheers and a standing ovation from most of the audience of about 75 people in the auditorium of Van Sickle Middle School.

Vice Chair Christopher Collins said the next goal is to negotiate a contract with Warwick, which he hopes will be completed by the end of this month. Collins joked that Warwick's contract will not have any provisions paying him for moving expenses as given to current Superintendent Dr. Alan Ingram or airplane tickets back to his home state as was allowed in the agreement with the previous Superintendent Dr. Joseph Burke.

Collins expected the salary would be equivalent to the one currently paid to Ingram, which is at $202,000.

He said that Warwick is a detailed-oriented administrator who is a "true listener" and has "an extensive knowledge base."

Collins added that his support for Warwick came in part from the public meetings at which Springfield residents asked for a superintendent with roots in the city.

Warwick has served as deputy superintendent since 2011 and as assistant superintendent from 2004 to 2011. Before those positions, Warwick served as principal of Glenwood School from 1991 to 2004 and as a Special Education supervisor for the school district from 1988 to 1991. He served as a teacher in Springfield Public Schools from 1976 to 1988.

He has a bachelor's degree from Westfield State University, a master's degree from American International College and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies-Educational Administration from American International College.

Although some local pundits believed Warwick was the dark horse candidate, he received five of the seven votes from the committee members. Denise Hurst and Barbara Gresham voted for Dr. Jesus Jara with Hurst calling him a "breath of fresh air."

Gresham said that although she was disappointed by the outcome of the vote, she would work with Warwick.

Hurst, like other committee members, said she was "glad the process is over ... We will move forward."

The finalists were selected through a committee of Springfield citizens through what Collins called "a long and arduous process."

Jara is the superintendent of the Monroe County School District in Florida. He is no stranger to the Springfield Public School, as he served as assistant principal of Van Sickle Middle School from 2001 to 2003 and as principal of the High School of Science and Technology from 2003 to 2005.

He holds a bachelor's degree from Barry University, a master's degree from Nova Southeastern University and a doctorate's degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

In a format that reminded some of a television game show, each finalist was given time for an opening statement, asked the same eight questions and then was allowed to ask questions of the School Committee and than make a closing statement. Each finalist was kept in seclusion during the questioning of the other candidate. Each candidate's interview could last 90 minutes and in each case Mayor Domenic Sarno noted there was extra time and permitted committee members to ask follow-up questions.

Jara was questioned first and asked about his action plan for his first days in office. He explained how would take the first month as a time listen to administrators, teachers and others.

"There's no silver bullet," he said. "It's the hard work of the teacher and how do you support the teacher."

When asked the same question, Warwick brought to the committee members a multi-page outline that identified four educational goals and how to reach them over a five year period. He then extensively spoke about the plan and his explanation foreshadowed several of the questions that were to follow.

The record of the last two superintendents was referenced by several questions by the committee. They wanted to be sure that Jara was serious about committing to the city and moving his family here — something neither Burke nor Ingram would do. Jara said that although he had applied for positions in Florida and New Mexico, if he was selected he would take his name out of consideration for those jobs. He said he wanted stability for his family and a move to Springfield would ensure that.

Both men were also asked if they would be the "face" of the School Department and be available to residents and to the press. Ingram has been criticized for not being as visible as many though he would be and seldom speaks to the local media. The answer from both candidates was they would be both in the public and in the district's schools.

The answer from both men about their three best leadership qualities was exactly alike: being a good listener, willing to collaborate and making hard decisions.

During the deliberations prior to the vote, all of the committee members spoke how qualified both candidates were and that either would make a fine superintendent.

School Committee member Antonette Pepe spoke from a unique perspective as she had worked with both men in her roles as the president of the paraprofessional union and as a School Committee member. She noted that she had not voted for raises for Warwick as a deputy superintendent not because of his job performance, but because she believed the School Department was top heavy with administrators who are paid too much.

She said that she and Warwick had worked together on issues and she praised him for treating her with respect, always returning her phone calls and investigating questions she might have.

She complimented Jara as well, but noted she was disturbed that he left the job of principal of High School of Science and Technology in the middle of the school year and added he should have finished out the year.

"We must now unite with our new superintendent to move the system forward," Sarno said at the conclusion of the meeting. "There's no doubt his [Warwick's] heart and soul is in the city of Springfield."



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