2 More Marblehead School Leaders To Depart Amid Ongoing District Turmoil

MARBLEHEAD, MA — The stability of Marblehead Public Schools leadership took another pair of hits in recent days with Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Michelle Cresta accepting a similar position in another district and Interim Superintendent Theresa McGuinness taking herself out of consideration for the full-time position during the upcoming superintendent search process.

The public announcements were made at Thursday night's School Committee and come amid a revolving door of district leadership that included the negotiated resignation of former John Buckey midway through his contract, the departure of former Assistant Superintendent Nan Murphy for the Dedham superintendent's position and departure of Marblehead High Principal Dan Bauer for the superintendent's role in Danvers — all within the past six months.

McGuinness also publicly announced that Student Services Director Paula Donnelly and Associate Director of Student Services Emily Dean and the district had agreed to end their employment relationship. That decision came in the week following an emotional School Committee meeting on Dec. 21 in which teachers, parents and supporters spoke of repeated cases of students roaming the hallways unsupervised and causing both destruction and physical harm at schools across the district, and directives teachers said they received from the administration to "just teach" or "ignore it" when they raised concerns.

The Marblehead Education Association requested the dismissal of Donnelly and Dean in the wake of a December student restraint incident that led to four staff members being placed on administrative leave.

(Also on Patch: Marblehead School Student Service Leadership Shakeup: Union Responds)

"I am moving forward in a different direction to pursue alternative opportunities," said McGuinness, who stated during her public interview for the interim position that she wished to be a candidate for the permanent spot during the upcoming search process. "But, as I have since my start date on Nov. 6 — my start date, I will work diligently and strategically alongside our fine leadership team and our School Committee to perform the roles and responsibilities of the interim superintendency in the best interest of our students and our staff.

"I am also prepared to work for and plan a successful transition to the next superintendent of schools."

Cresta took over as acting superintendent as the School Committee sought Buckey's departure in June. She remained in the acting role through the start of the school year but turned down consideration to become the interim superintendent both at the outset of that search and in the hours before the vote was taken to hire McGuinness.

"My career aspiration, whether my acting/interim ends in a month or ends nine months from now is to not continue as superintendent," Cresta said at the time. "I do want to go back to my role (as district finance and operations director). My strong point is not curriculum.

"Yes, if I am asked I would stay on. It is not my first preference. I would rather have someone else in that position."

Cresta will remain in the district through March 21 before she takes the director of finance and operations position at Manchester-Essex.

"We will definitely miss her," McGuinness said on Thursday. "But I also appreciate that she is committed to ensuring a smooth and stable transition to helping me develop the 2025 budget so it is ready for town meeting."

McGuinness also said on Thursday that Marblehead High Assistant Principal Dan Richards would be moving to Glover Elementary as its interim principal while Hope Doran remains out on a medical leave she took around the time of the restraint crisis.

McGuinness indicated she approached Richards about moving to Glover after attempts to hire an outside interim principal were unsuccessful.

Matthew Fox, who had been serving in that role, will return to his role as principal at Veterans Middle School.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)