Lundsten to Retire as Superintendent

Judith Lundsten was the natural choice for the Cranston School Committee when it came time to pick a new superintendent in 2012.

She was the district’s assistant superintendent and was serving as acting superintendent at the time, taking over for her former boss Peter Nero, who left for a job in Connecticut. And she brought decades of institutional knowledge, experience in the classroom and a soft-spoken and compassionate grace to the table. But most of all, at a time when the district needed its teachers to rally around a common cause, “I can put myself in their shoes,” she said during her public interview before the School Committee.

This summer, Cranston will now be looking to fill Lundsten’s shoes. After more than 25 years as an educator in Cranston, Lundsten plans to retire at the end of the school year.

The School Committee on Monday will vote to approve Lundsten’s resignation. The effective date is June 30, according to the committee’s agenda.

Lundsten started in Cranston as a special education teacher and steadily climbed the ranks over the years, becoming a teacher leader, principal and eventually a member of the main office staff.

Though she touted her advantages over the other two candidates vying for the job in 2012, she noted that it could be a disadvantage, too.

“A new candidate gets you a new perspective,” she said.

The district was in the midst of a period of turmoil at the time. Not only had it lost the force of Peter Nero, it had a long, difficult road riddled with budget holes and debt repayment tolls up ahead. She promised to be accountable and raise standards.

Lundsten made it clear after her appointment that she planed to stay on for about three years, perhaps more, so her decision to retire should come as no surprise to Cranston teachers and parents.

News of Lundsten’s retirement, first mentioned on the BASICS Facebook page by Cranston Herald reporter Pam Schiff, was met with sadness. Lundsten did have her critics, but the majority of comments were in praise of her dedication to children, teachers and penchant for kindness.

Teachers appreciated being led by an administrator who worked deep in the trenches for years before wielding budget and personnel powers. She wasn’t a fresh-from-grad-school go-getter who waltzed into the arena with sweeping changes up her sleeve. She promised to engage in a district-wide listening tour as soon as she was appointed, and she did.

“I really thought she would stay a little longer. I liked her. She was approachable,” said Julie Giampietro.

“This is a huge loss for Cranston,” said Cheryl Richard Thurber.

Lundsten could not immediately be reached for comment on Thursday night. Another story will be posted soon.