Natick Superintendent A Finalist In Newton's Search

NEWTON, MA — The Newton Superintendent Search Committee recommended three candidates to the School Committee for consideration. One of them may take residents of Natick by surprise.

Natick Superintendent Anna Nolin is one of the three finalists for the role in Newton, according to Newton Public Schools Director of Communications Julie McDonough, who, oddly enough, is a member of the Natick School Committee.

According to a source on the Natick School Committee, the committee was informed of Nolin's candidacy on Monday, the same day she was announced as a finalist in Newton.

Nolin served as interim superintendent in March 2018 before the interim tag was removed in December of that same year.

During her tenure, she's acquired grant funds for the district and guided Natick through the COVID-19 pandemic. She was also named the president of the New England Association of Superintendents in 2018.

In 2021, she was also at the helm when the School Committee voted to close Johnson Elementary School by 2025.

According to district officials at the time, Johnson will need at least $3.3 million in renovations in the next five years, the bulk of that for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) upgrades. Officials have said that money would be better spent upgrading other district facilities, like Memorial Elementary.

In a presentation to the School Committee, Superintendent Anna Nolin said Johnson students would gradually move to Brown, Lilja and Memorial elementary schools. Just 44 students would remain at Johnson in the final year of the phased closure.

Nolin's competition in the Newton search includes New Bedford Superintendent Thomas Anderson and Acton-Boxborough Regional School District Superintendent Peter Light. Her candidate visit and interview is scheduled for Feb. 15.

Patch has reached out to Natick Public Schools for comment.