Superintendent Finalists Signal Support For Full-Day Kindergarten

BEVERLY, MA -- Parents who want Beverly to offer a full-day kindergarten program got some encouragement last week as the school committee interviewed the three finalists to be the district's next superintendent. Assistant Beverly Superintendent Suzanne M. Charochak, Salem Public Schools Assistant Superintendent Mary Kate Carbone and Newmarket, NH Superintendent Meredith Nadeau all signaled support for such a program, but all three also noted that finding a way to fund it can be problematic.

"We know that the investment in early childhood learning -- pre-K and K -- pays for itself over time ... Is it something I would support? Certainly," Nadeau said. "When is the right time to make that move? That’s the harder question, and isn’t one that rests solely with the superintendent. That really is an issue that the school committee has to wrestle with."

Related Story: Meet The Three Finalists For Beverly School Superintendent

The candidates also shared similar views on the use of technology in the classroom. The main point each stressed is that technology should supplement, not distract from, learning.

"I think the idea and the goal should be to leverage technology to inform learning," Carbone said. "There’s a certain amount of professional development and support that teachers need to become comfortable and proficient in doing that."

All three candidates had praise for the district's gains in recent years.

"We take our education seriously," Charochak said. "We look very closely at what we need to do to meet the needs of students in Beverly, and I’ve been a part of that journey all the way through."

A 13-member subcommittee appointed by the Beverly School Committee narrowed a field of 36 applicants down to the three finalists as the district looks for its next superintendent. The district's current superintendent, Dr. Steven Hiersche, is retiring at the end of the school year.

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Patch file photo via Shutterstock. Videos of each candidate's interview by BevCam.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).