West Hartford Board Hires Firm To Find New School Chief

WEST HARTFORD, CT — With the former school chief now officially departed to Illinois, the town's school board is working to hire his replacement.

Last month, the West Harford Board of Education voted at a special meeting July 21 to hire a consultant to aid the school system in finding a replacement for Tom Moore, who left the district June 30 for a school chief's role in a Chicago suburb.

As a result, Cooperative Education Services (CES) of Trumbull was hired unanimously by the school board to oversee and aid the town in finding a new school leader.

"We certainly know how well respected they are," West Hartford Board of Education Chairperson Lorna Thomas-Farquarson said at the meeting. "They have a wealth of experience in superintendent searches and the positive outcomes in the process as well."

The school board chair said finding a new superintendent is a major task for elected school officials.

"However, collectively our board recognized we need support in helping to do that. So the first step we took was appointing a personnel search committee to facilitate this process," said Thomas-Farquarson.

The personnel search committee's role, she said, is to identify a few finalists to take over local schools, with the consulting firm aiding that committee in that process.

She said three firms were chosen, with the school board having the final choice.

Thomas-Farquarson said the consultant firm will work with the school board in the summer and fall to identify the traits it wants to see in a new school chief.

School board will issue an update on the process at the next full board of education meeting Sept. 6.

School system administrator Andrew Morrow is the district's interim superintendent of schools.

Meanwhile, the West Hartford school system's foundation is collecting donations to establish a scholarship to honor Moore.

The Foundation for West Hartford Schools, which is the main fundraising arm for school system initiatives, has created the "Tom Moore Superintendent Grant."

Moore has spent 26 years in the town as a teacher, administrator, coach, parent, etc., and the goal is to raise $26,000 for the grant award.

To watch the July 21 special West Hartford Board of Education meeting, click on this link.

For more information on Cooperative Education Services out of Trumbull, click on this link.

For more information on the "Tom Moore Superintendent Grant," click on this link.

"West Hartford Superintendent Heading To Position In Illinois"