GREENFIELD — The School Committee has agreed to terms with The Management Solution Inc. for extended services, so it won’t only provide the district with its business manager, but also a lead administrator and two superintendent-licensed consultants until Superintendent Jordana Harper can return to her duties.
Dr. Judy Houle will be the Greenfield School Department’s lead administrator, managing the day-to-day operations at the superintendent level, while Nadine Ekstrom and Allen Himmelberger will serve as consultants.
School Committee Chair Amy Proietti said the agreement is on a month-to-month basis. It will end when Harper — who hasn’t been “actively working” for about a month — returns to duty. Until then, the new arrangement will cost about $10,000 a month.
Harper, who announced last fall that she will not be renewing her contract at the end of this school year in June, commented in an email last week that she was injured at work, and is home on doctor’s orders while she recovers.
“I have provided to the committee regular updates from my doctors and health care professionals,” Harper said. “Prior to my temporary leave, I had appointed superintendent-certified principals (Melodie Goodwin at Newton Elementary School and Karin Patenaude at Greenfield High School) to assist in my temporary absence in order to provide day-to-day support to the parents, staff and community until my return.”
Proietti said she had spoken with Greenfield administrators by phone and sent them a written detailed plan for interim administrative leadership. Patenaude and Goodwin had been sharing superintendent duties, as well as doing their own work, but that was not an ideal situation.
“I really want to thank Karin and Melodie for regularly stepping into leadership roles for the district during this academic year,” Proietti said.
She acknowledged everyone in the district for the “initiative, perseverance and fortitude with all of the challenges we’ve faced in the past calendar year.” She said she is grateful for everyone’s “consistent professionalism.”
Proietti made it clear that though Harper is not “actively working” at this point, she remains the Greenfield School Department’s superintendent.
“Judy Houle will be available, in a combination of in-district and remote roles, to provide day-to-day operational support and manage the responsibilities and expectations normally fulfilled by the superintendent,” she explained. “All of the folks from TMS will be engaged in getting to know staff, teachers, students and families.”
Proietti said that in addition to the interim leaders being chosen, the School Committee heard feedback from parents, teachers and the community on the need to improve communication protocols and the execution of them, so Justin Martin, a communications professional for TMS, will work with its members on developing and implementing a strategic communications plan.
“We are still getting the details finalized and are prepared to welcome the team from TMS,” she said.
The interim administrators, according to TMS, will also provide the School Committee and educators with a report on the status of curriculum and instruction, special education services and operations. They will also provide 24/7 senior-level guidance and support in public information, crisis communications, internal relations, community relations and school-to-home communications, all of which focus on “complete transparency, strengthening credibility and solidifying the integrity of the school system and its leadership team.”
Houle served as superintendent for eight years in two districts and as executive director of the Greenfield Commonwealth Virtual School. She has also served as curriculum director in three districts in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Vermont. She will lead in the area of supporting curriculum and instruction.
Himmelberger served as a superintendent for 10 years in three districts. In addition, he has served as a school committee chair, a school business manager and as interim director of the Southern Worcester County Educational Collaborative. He has expertise in operations, finance, contracts and negotiations.
Ekstrom has six years of experience as a superintendent and also served as executive director for a special education collaborative. A former special education director, she brings extensive experience working with developing cost-effective programs that support students, working collaboratively with parents and staff through mediations and establishing sustainable programs, such as the partnership 18-22 program between the Gill-Montague Regional School District and the Greenfield School Department. She would lead in the area of supporting special education.
Martin has developed and implemented strategic communication plans for colleges and kindergarten through high school, as well as nonprofits. Specific to school systems, he has served as strategist and communications counsel in areas including crisis management, labor relations, media relations and public affairs to school committees and superintendents in more than 60 cities and towns, and has run national and statewide legislative and political campaigns.
Reach Anita Fritz at 413-772-9591 or afritz@recorder.com.