Superintendent Search Heats Up

The search for a new school superintendent kicks into higher gear this week. The School Committee will ask for proposals from search firms vying to find Marblehead's next school chief. Current Superintendent Paul Dulac retires in June.

"We're looking for a superintendent who is going to be creative, budget-savvy and committed to seeing through the Instructional Focus that's in place right now," new School Committee Chairwoman EuRim Chun told MarbleheadPatch. The Instructional Focus is the five-year educational plan put in place by Dulac.

A search firm should be hired by late October and begin scouting for candidates. The School Committee will then form focus groups and a screening committee made up of parents, teachers, administrators and residents. Candidates will be interviewed in January and Chun hopes a new school chief can be picked by late February. There is $30,000 budgeted for the process.

The School Committee has identified three criteria for the new superintendent: 

• A commitment and understanding of the district's educational vision and its Instructional Focus
• A proven ability to focus on implementation
• Effective and creative financial management skills

Glover School Update

Another focus this fall is the Glover School. School Committee member Patricia Blackmer resigned as chairwoman this month to focus on the Glover rebuilding plan. She is working with the Massachusetts School Building Authority to protect the project's 40 percent reimbursement rate.

The Glover School Building Committee is pursuing two possibilities: more site tests and design modifications to the current plan, and looking into the state's new Elementary Model Schools program.

 "We are working to maximize the reimbursement rate and bring a cost-effective design to the town in December," Blackmer said. A property tax override request for the $28 million dollar project could go before voters next spring.

The Glover School Building Committee meets next on Wednesday, Sept 22, at 7 p.m.

 Race to the Top $$$

Chun said the $272,000 in federal school funding allocated to Marblehead is "great news." But she added she's not sure how the district should handle the funding. "We don't want to launch a program, then have to shut it down because we can't continue to fund it. We'll have to see how this works." Last month Gov. Deval Patrick said he hoped Marblehead would utilize it to save jobs.

More Collaboration, Less Controversy 

As the new School Committee president, Chun said it's time to move beyond controversy and bickering and get back to work serving the school children of Marblehead.

"It's a clean start, a new school year, a new fall. We have a lot to do for the district. There's no reason the five of us can't work together," she said referring to the committee.

Controversy erupted at the School Committee's last meeting when Blackmer announced her resignation as chair and Chun was elected to the top spot in a 3-2 vote. Committee member Jonathan Lederman complained that Blackmer had essentially handpicked her successor by speaking with Chun privately before the meeting.

"I'm reaching out to all the members, having conversations with them to get started on the right foot," Chun said. "I want to bring everyone's gifts to the table."

The School Committee next meets Thursday, Sept 23, at 7:30 p.m. in the MHS library.