School Committee: Buchanan's Evaluations Not Discussed in Executive Session

The performance evaluations of former School Superintendent Dr. Raleigh Buchanan were not discussed during the School Committee’s nearly two-hour long executive session last Thursday, the board said in a written statement issued Monday morning.

Instead, the executive session was held at the request of Buchanan and his attorney, who sought to discuss his contract. Michael Long, Buchanan's attorney, asked for the executive session three hours before the 7 p.m. meeting last Thursday, the committee said in the statement.

When the School Committee emerged from the executive session, committee attorney Naomi Stonberg announced that Buchanan’s

“While the minutes of this executive session will be released as soon as the mutual agreement between the School District and Dr. Buchanan is finalized, the School Committee wants to assure the public that was not discussed during this unanticipated executive session,” the committee said in its two-page long statement.

Buchanan had seen the evaluations for the first time on May 3, when he met with School Committee Chairman Alexa McCloughan and Vice Chairman Jack O'Keefe. But none of the other committee members had seen the other evaluations, the statement said.

The statement also acknowledged that it is a “very difficult time” for both the committee and Buchanan.

“The School Committee hopes that the public and town officials can appreciate the sensitivity of this matter,” the statement concluded.

The entire School Committee statement released on Monday is attached to this story as a PDF.