Schools

Dedham School Committee Inviting Participants to Join in Superintendent Search

Parents or other residents have until Jan. 17 to submit an email or letter of interest to be on the screening committee.

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As part of its ongoing search for a new superintendent of schools, the Dedham School Committee, which has hired the New England School Development Council (NESDEC) to assist with the search, is currently inviting residents to apply for the search Screening Committee.

Screening Committee Chair Mayanne MacDonald Briggs and Screening Committee Vice-Chair Tom Ryan issued a letter to parents and residents this week, inviting them, if interested, to take part in the process. 

"Selecting a new Superintendent of Schools is an important activity for the entire community, and it requires a 40–60 hour commitment of time and energy," Briggs wrote in a statement. 

The letter to residents continues as follows:

The Screening Committee will review applications, interview candidates and recommend several candidates to the School Committee for further consideration.

The Dedham School Committee has voted on the following members of the schools and community to participate: 

  • 1 Town Administrator/designee
  • 1 Local business owner
  • 1 Retiree with children/grandchildren in the school system
  • 1 At Large member
  • 2 Dedham Public Schools Administrators
  • 1 ECEC/Elementary
  • 1 Middle School /High School teacher
  • 1 Support Staff
  • 1 ECEC/Elementary parent/guardian
  • 1 middle school parent/guardian
  • 1 high school parent/guardian
The individual recommended should be available to attend several evening meetings including all the candidate interview sessions, and he/she should understand that much of the business of the Screening Committee will require a high degree of confidentiality as potential candidates’ names and application materials will be reviewed and discussed. A copy of the search timeline is enclosed for your convenience. 

The first meeting of the Screening Committee is tentatively scheduled for Feb. 11 at 7 p.m. at the Dedham Middle School, at which time a NESDEC search consultant will facilitate an orientation workshop. The consultant will also assist in reviewing applications, and in the selection of candidates the Screening Committee wishes to interview.

Many tasks must be accomplished during this meeting so members should plan to be available for approximately three hours.

In subsequent meetings, it is anticipated the Screening Committee will interview a total of approximately 8-10 candidates who best meet the profile that has been established for the superintendent position. At the conclusion of the interviews, the Screening Committee will recommend 3-5 candidates for further consideration by the Dedham School Committee.

The School Committee invites all interested candidates email a letter of interest to abett@nesdec.org by Jan. 17 or send a letter to:

Dr. Arthur Bettencourt, Executive Director NESDEC
28 Lord Road
Marlborough, MA 01752

The members of the committee will be notified by Jan. 29. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. I can be reached at (maysieb29@comcast.net or 781-326-7194).  

Very truly yours,
Mayanne MacDonald Briggs, Screening Committee Chair
Tom Ryan, Screening Committee Vice-Chair

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