Newmarket Fails to Select a Suitable Principal Candidate

Newmarket’s Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Susan Givens, recently announced that the search for a new principal for the Jr/Sr High School to replace Chris Mazzone has been narrowed down to two individuals: Shannon Caron and David Dalton.

The selection of these two finalists, however, were not made by superintendent Givens, they were chosen by a “principal screening committee” (Superintendent Givens was apparently too busy to review and interview applicants for the principalship herself, which, of course, is one of her primary responsibilities).

Besides acting entirely outside of Right-to-Know Laws, the search committee failed in recommending a suitable candidate to replace Mazzone. In reviewing the resumes of Caron and Dalton, I do not believe either should be appointed to the principalship.

Caron does not appear to have ever been a teacher or even taught a class in any public school setting. She is a counselor. A Psychology person. How is she supposed to serve as the educational leader of the school without a background in teaching? What expertise can she offer a new or an experienced teacher about classroom instruction or management?

David R. Dalton’s resume is even challenging to understand how he was selected or how he would benefit the school district. He appears to simply be another Massachusetts retiree looking to supplement that retirement income with a job close to home, much in the same way as Givens. Newmarket deserves more than this.

Beyond the committee’s two unsuitable recommendations, the real question is why either of these candidates would want to seek employment in the Newmarket School District?

Superintendent Givens is not someone an aspiring principal should want to work for. Givens has shown time and again her incompetence to lead a school district. Are Caron and Dalton so naive as to think what happened to Mazzone could not happen to them?

And then there is the unethical and corrupt Newmarket School Board to Consider. Who would ever want to work for such a school board?

Until all of the current legal actions pending against the school district are settled, I strongly suggest that Caron and Dalton seek employment elsewhere. And that the good people of Newmarket do not allow Givens or the current school board to make any such decisions.

Jeffrey Clay