GREENFIELD — School Committee member Jean Wall, who will head the Superintendent Search Committee, has begun accepting letters of interest from parents, teachers, principals, union members, school administrators, business leaders, city councilors and anyone else who would like to help choose the Greenfield School Department’s next superintendent.
“Schools affect everyone in the community, so we’d like the group of people we choose to be diverse,” Wall said. “The committee will most likely have 10 to 13 members. That’s the ideal size. The search committee will be working very closely, collaborating with the School Committee.”
Superintendent Jordana Harper notified the School Committee in mid-September that she will not be renewing her contract with the Greenfield School Department when it expires at the end of June.
Wall said she does not yet have any specifics about when or how often the search committee will meet, but believes it will be “a lot” at first and when resumes are received. She said she expects the committee will begin its work within the next month or so.
Wall said she will read all of the letters of interest and bring her recommendations to the School Committee, who will decide on membership. The deadline for letters of interest is Feb. 19.
School Committee Chair Amy Proietti noted that the School Committee will hire a firm to assist in the search.
“That’s common practice,” Proietti explained. “We want this process to be as transparent as possible.”
Wall said the School Committee wants a superintendent hired as soon as possible, especially given Harper’s impending departure and the financial issues the Greenfield School Department faces because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but said it will take some time.
“We’re a little behind in the search because of COVID, so we don’t want to delay it any further,” Wall said. “We’ll make this very public so everyone has a voice.”
Wall said anyone who would like to submit a letter of interest to be on the search committee should send it by email to jeawal1@gpsk12.org. Regular mail can be sent to Jean Wall, P.O. Box 383, Greenfield, MA 01302-0383.
Reach Anita Fritz at 413-772-9591 or afritz@recorder.com.