100 signatures reached
To: Mount Greylock Regional School Committee - James Art, Alison Carter, Christina Conry, Regina Dilego, Steven Miller, and Al Terranova (there is currently one vacancy)
Community Concerns Around MGRS District Hiring for Senior Administration: Principal Positions
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This petition requests the School Committee strongly encourage the use of an open and transparent process that includes the appointment of a sub-committee to incorporate community feedback in filling the three recently vacated Principal positions within the District.
Why is this important?
There are reasons to be concerned that a pattern has been established under which the District fails to seek and, thus, generate a pool of qualified candidates for senior administrative positions. In this vein, the last search for a Superintendent included a posting of the position which cited the existence of a "strong internal candidate". This resulted in a near-total absence of qualified outside candidates despite the attraction of a new, state-of-the-art high school building. Additionally, no apparent effort was made to attract a *licensed* principal to fill the recently (and twice-) vacated position at Lanesborough Elementary School.
The core values outlined for the District state: "We recognize the responsibility of the entire school community to ensure the success of all students.” The argument for utilizing a transparent and inclusive process to fill such key positions is strengthened by the documented extraordinary turnover in non-union staff experienced within the District since Ms. Grady became Assistant Superintendent in June of 2016. At least 20 positions have been vacated including:
- Superintendent (District/Central Office)
- Business Manager (District/Central Office)
- Administrative Assistant to Superintendent/HR (District/Central Office)
- Administrative Assistant/HR Specialist (District/Central Office)
- Custodial Supervisor at Lanesborough Elementary
- Office Assistant (District/Central Office)
- Treasurer (District/Central Office)
- Bookkeeper/Business Assistant (District/Central Office)
- Compliance Monitoring Assistant/Pupil Services Coordinator ("Team Leader") (District)
- Director of Pupil Services (District)
- Interim Director of Pupil Services (District)
- Maintenance/Facilities Director (District)
- Cafeteria Supervisor Mount Greylock
- Cafeteria Director Mount Greylock
- Administrative Assistant to Director of Pupil Personnel Williamstown Elementary School
- Principal Lanesborough Elementary School
- Administrative Assistant Lanesborough Elementary School
- Principal Lanesborough Elementary School
- Principal Mt. Greylock High School
- Principal Williamstown Elementary School