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Date: 3/13/2015
WEST SPRINGFIELD – After vetting 14 applications and conducting interviews, the superintendent screening committee has come to a consensus, recommending three finalists for the position to the School Committee.
The three finalists named are Medway High School Principal Dr. Doug Dias, Director of Human Resources for Westfield Public Schools Jennifer Willard and Interim Superintendent for West Springfield Michael Richard.
All three candidates are licensed as Massachusetts superintendents, according to Kevin McQuillan, acting assistant superintendent of schools.
The next step in the selection process include site visits for members of the school committee and Pat Correira, the field director for the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, and final interviews with the school committee.
Correira said that those attending site visits will be meeting with the following people in the candidate’s districts: superintendent, if available; secretary or administrative assistant to the candidate; school committee members; principals at each level; teachers, including union leadership; PTO, PTA, parent representatives or school councils; members of the town or city government, if possible; town manager, selectman, city council or mayor; special education director; human resources director; business manager; students and athletic director.
Those attending the site visits will head to Westfield to observe Willard on March 18, then to Medway and Dias on March 19. They will close out site visits on March 20 with Richard.
The candidates then have their day to visit the West Springfield facilities. In one day, they will take part in a site visit, a meet and greet with faculty, staff and administrators and then have their final interviews that evening.
“It’s a very long day for candidates, but it’ll show you what kind of stamina they have and if they can really do the job of superintendent,” Correira said to the school committee.
Willard will come to West Springfield on March 30. Dias will have his interview on March 31, and Richard will have his on April 2. The interviews are open to the public and will be televised.