Superintendent praised for a year's work

Date: 6/29/2010

June 30, 2010.

By Katelyn Gendron

Reminder Assistant Editor

AGAWAM -- Superintendent Mary Czajkowski is aces as far as the School Committee is concerned.

Czajkowski and the committee met for her annual review June 22, praising her for prodigious work with an overall rating of outstanding.

"The basis for this rating and evaluation is Dr. Czajkowski's superb leadership, which is interwoven throughout the system's many achievements ... I can say without reservation Dr. Czajkowski is a top notch administrator and the students of Agawam are greatly benefiting from her dedication and commitment to Agawam," School Committee Vice Chair Anthony Bonavita wrote in the evaluation.

Czajkowski recalled she went into the evaluation feeling confident about her work as well as the productive relationship she has built with the committee.

"I meant it when I said, starting my ninth year, it's really critical that there be a good relationship between the school board and the superintendent," she said. "It doesn't mean that we're always going to agree with everything but we still work together."

School Committee member Linda Galarneau echoed Czajkowski's sentiments. "Communication is key to the success of any organization. I believe that Dr. Czajkowski works diligently in keeping community, staff and school committee [members] informed on school issues and accomplishments," Galarneau wrote in her evaluation.

Mayor Richard Cohen commended the superintendent for her role maintaining "fiscal accountability and sound budget preparation."

He added that Czajkowski is "dedicated and devoted to setting high standards of performance and professional conduct for herself, the staff, our students and our community." Czajkowski said moving forward, she would continue her work to develop a long range plan and grade restructuring for the district, per the committee's request, while remaining conscious of these challenging economic times.

The plan includes a new high school, elementary school and early childhood center -- which may be possible via support from the Massachusetts School Building Authority -- a process that many take several years.