Page 4 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2021 ASKS | FROM PAGE 3 third week in March, for a first meeting at the beginning of April. Q: What is the target date to begin interviewing candidates? A: We’re looking to begin initial interviews by the second week in April. Q: What is the target date for the full School Committee to begin interviewing finalists for the position and the target date for hiring somebody to replace Dr. David DeRuosi, Jr.? A: Ideally, we’d look to start finalist interviews by the second week in May and select a superintendent by the end of May. Q: How much of a role, if any, will the superintendent play in the search for his replacement? A: Dr. DeRuosi is being enormously helpful behind the scenes. He’s had numerous conversations with our search agent, giving the lay of the land and supplying a lot of institutional knowledge about the district, as well as making staff and district resources available. We didn’t have to ask him for anything. He jumped right out there and asked how he could help. Giving us advance notice of his retirement let us get a big head start, but all his technical assistance along the way is really invaluable. I’m sure I’m going to have a million questions for him before this is over. Q: Will there be focus groups in the community like there were five years ago? A: Absolutely – there will be seven focus groups each targeting different stakeholder groups, all of which will be virtual due to COVID. I want to stress that we’re going to be making online surveys available to all stakeholders, whether they be students, parents, faculty, administrators, residents, etc., and we’ll be asking a lot of the same questions. I’d encourage everyone to take a few minutes and participate. This information is important to help craft the profile of our ideal superintendent. When we surveyed parents about their thoughts on hybrid versus remote earlier in the fall, we collected a lot of detailed, specific information. I’m looking forward to the same happening again between the focus groups and the surveys. Q: How extensive a search is being conducted to fill the superintendent's position? Would this be considered a national search? One School Committee member called the one conducted five years ago “the most comprehensive and inclusive search” ever conducted for a Saugus school administrator. A: Our search agent is the New www.eight10barandgrille.com We Have Reopened for Dine-In and Outside Seating every day beginning at 4 PM England School Development Council, which obviously has members of the National School Development Council and have recruiting reach and relationships with colleges and university placement offices as well as superintendent and school board associations throughout the country. I’d say it’s a national search with very strong regional ties. Anyone interested is going to know about the position. I’d echo that School Committee member’s comments as well, and hope the same will be said about our search. Q: Anything else that you OPTIMISTIC ABOUT SMOOTH TRANSITION: School Committee Vice-Chair Ryan Fisher says he is hopeful of hiring a new school superintendent about a month before Dr. David DeRuosi, Jr. officially retires. Fisher, who chairs the Superintendent’s Search Committee, said his goal is to have the finalist interviews start by the second week in May and select a superintendent by month’s end. (Saugus Advocate file photo by Mark E. Vogler) strong ties to member districts throughout the New England region, as well as New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. They’re would like to share about the superintendent’s search committee? A: I’d like to clarify what it is! The most important role of a school committee is employing a superintendent to lead the district forward. The search committee members, myself and Dennis Gould included, are all appointed by the School Committee to work with our agent to prepare the interview process, interview and screen preliminary applicants and send the finalists back to the full School Committee for public interviews and a public vote. It’s a few weeks of important, thankless work, and I’m appreciative to all those who will participate in this important process on behalf of the district! THIS WEEK ON SAUGUS TV Sunday, February 28 at 9 to 11 p.m. on Channel 8 – “Sunday Night Stooges” (The Three Stooges). Monday, March 1 all day on Channel 8 – “Movie Monday” (classic movies). Tuesday, March 2 at 8:30 p.m. on Channel 9 – Board of Selectmen Meeting from February 23. Wednesday, March 3 at 8:30 p.m. on Channel 22 – SHS Girls Basketball vs. Gloucester from February 16. Thursday, March 4 at 7 p.m. on Channel 9 – Planning Board Meeting ***live***. Friday, March 5 at 8:30 p.m. on Channel 9 – Board of Health Meeting from March 1. Saturday, March 6 at 8:30 p.m. on Channel 22 – SHS Girls Basketball vs. Winthrop from WE'RE OPEN! 8 Norwood Street, Everett (617) 387-9810 Aluminum Everett 10 Everett Ave., Everett 617-389-3839 Owned & operated by the Conti family since 1958 • 62 Years! “Same name, phone number & address for over half a century. We must be doing something right!” Owned & operated by the Conti family since 1958 • 57 Years! family since 1958 • 60 •Vinyl Siding •Carpentry Work •Decks •Vinyl Siding •Vinyl Siding •Free Estimates •Fully Licensed •Roofng •Free Estimates •Carpentry Work •Fully Licensed •Decks •Fully Licensed ng •Roo ng • Fully Insured • Fully Insured • Replacement Windows www.everettaluminum.com Now’s the time to schedule those home improvement projects you’ve been dreaming about all winter! Everett Aluminum STAY SAFE! February 15. Saugus TV can be seen on Comcast Channels 8, 9 & 22 (Public, Governmental and Educational). For complete schedules, please visit www.saugustv.org. ***programming may change without notice*** Spring!
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