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Date: 6/29/2022
HAMPDEN/WILBRAHAM – After six years at the helm of the Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District (HWRSD), Superintendent Albert Ganem will retire on June 30.
Of his tenure in HWRSD, Ganem said, “It’s definitely had some challenges.” He cited the lawsuit between the district and the town of Hampden, negotiations with the educator’s union, Hampden-Wilbraham Education Association, and COVID-19.
Ganem said he was proud of the work done to bring students safely back into the classroom in the fall of 2020, despite wave after wave of coronavirus variants. “That was huge work for us. That was definitely a team effort,” he said.
Before becoming superintendent, Ganem worked in Worcester for 35 years as a teacher, assistant principal, principal and superintendent of curriculum. In that time, Ganem developed a model of leadership that focused on taking the time to get things right.
“The hard part is, you have to move slow to go fast,” Ganem said, an adage he has used repeatedly in the past. He said people think running the district is like driving a speed boat, but he likened it to steering a cruise ship.
Restructuring
Part of the district’s strategic plan, which is nearing completion, is the reorganization of the district and restructuring of the regional agreement. Not being able to see those changes through is one thing Ganem said he will regret.
Ganem said Stony Hill School is at capacity, while Thornton W. Burgess (TWB) School is currently only used for offices and the Transitions Program, serving 18- to 22-year-olds with special needs. Ganem said TWB has been maintained and, “you could move classes in there tomorrow.”
When TWB was closed as a middle school and Green Meadows became a K-8 school, Ganem said many parents were upset. Looking back, however, Ganem said the change was good for the district, for students and their families. Parents now tell him they are glad their child was able to stay in the same school through Grade 8.
“Green Meadows School is its own community,” Ganem said. Kids can choose to stay at Green Meadows for middle school or go to Wilbraham Middle School. In this way, he said, HWRSD gives students a choice to be in whichever environment works best for them, personally.
By allowing students to move between schools, no matter on which side of the town border they may live, Ganem said the district would be more cohesive and it would help heal the towns. “That message was in the strategic plan input from residents, to heal the district and make a single community,” he said. “Kids are the most resilient of us. The kids get along.”
Restructuring may also involve the adoption of technical schools or magnet schools. Ganem opined that they are a possibility as, “the future of our schools.”
To move into that future, Ganem said families will have to “trust our principals to do the work and do what’s best for students.” He also trusts his successor, John Provost.
“John is a seasoned superintendent and will do incredible work,” Ganem said, putting his confidence fully behind his replacement. “I always want my kids to do better than I did, and in a way it’s kind of the same with John. My goal as outgoing superintendent is to make sure John is successful.”
Saying goodbye
“I don’t know what my next chapter is,” Ganem said. In the short term, he plans to spend time at the home he and his extended family built in Seabrook, NH. After that, he said he will likely serve as an interim superintendent where needed.
In the meantime, Ganem has been saying goodbye.
“People have been wonderful,” Ganem said of the HWRSD community. He added that he will miss the students the most.
“I put my head on the pillow every night and say, ‘I’ve done the best I can,’” Ganem reflected. “My intent has always been to make sure that we provide the best education for our kids in a safe environment.”