by Anonym ·
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
by Lynda King
School Superintendent Thomas Jefferson confirmed this week that he has been named one of two finalists for the superintendent position in Lynnfield, Mass. Jefferson, who has served as superintendent of Harvard schools since 2005, was one of three final candidates for superintendent in the Masconomet Regional School District in January, and narrowly missed being selected for that position.
Jefferson told the Press Tuesday that two people on the Lynnfield School Committee with connections to Masconomet had floated his name for the opening, which came about as a result of the announced retirement of Lynnfield's current superintendent, Robert Hassett, who will retire at the end of the school year. Jefferson said he submitted his application in late October.
According to Jefferson, there were about 30 applicants for the position; the list was narrowed down to two by a screening committee of 11 people representing the Board of Selectmen, teachers, and community members, he said.
Asked if the Lynnfield School Committee had concerns about the ruling against him by the Massachusetts Ethics Commission in April, Jefferson said, "Not at all. They knew the case well." He added that he had addressed the issue in his opening comments with the committee, and said they seemed to understand that the local decision that sparked the ethics case was "something done in the best interest of the district and the child." He said he provided the committee with letters of endorsement from both town and state officials.
Jefferson said he is appealing that ethics ruling, and that a legal brief has been submitted in the case, although no court date has been set yet. "I'm confident the ruling will be overturned," he said. "I think we have a compelling case."
The Lynnfield School District will host a reception for Jefferson Tuesday, Jan. 11, to meet with parents and community members. Both Jefferson and the other candidate, Dr. Anne Wilson, of the Brookline public school system, will be interviewed publicly during an open meeting of the Lynnfield School Committee Jan. 12. Jefferson said that as another step in the process, that committee will also be conducting a site visit here in Harvard in the next couple of weeks to meet with school administrators, School Committee members, and town officials. "Mostly it will be a chance for them to talk to people who have worked with me," he said. He expects that the School Committee will reach a decision by mid-January.
Lynnfield School Committee Chairwoman Dorothy Presser confirmed that the committee plans to make a decision by the middle of January, and told the Press that the expected start date would be July 1. Asked if the committee had any concerns about the ethics ruling against Jefferson, Presser said, "It wasn't an issue for us."
Harvard School Committee Chairman Keith Cheveralls told the Press Tuesday that Jefferson had informed him on Dec. 17 that he'd accepted the nomination to be a finalist for the Lynnfield position. "This is a fabulous opportunity for Tom," he said. "Lynnfield is a wonderful school district, bigger than Harvard's, and Tom is more than capable of handling the position." The Lynnfield School District consists of five schools and more than 2,300 students.
Asked about School Committee succession plans, Cheveralls said there is nothing formal in place. "We've been exploring more generally administrative models," he said. "This now brings that to the fore again."
The Press asked Jefferson if he would pursue other opportunities if he is not selected for this position. He answered, "I'm averaging one call a week from a consultant. I listen and see how it seems to fit with where I am in my career and skill set. Some are very appealing." "I haven't applied for any other positions," he added.
"Anybody would be foolish not to answer when that call comes," Cheveralls said. "It's something we know is always out there. If it works out for Tom, we'll wish him all the best."