In the fall of 2019, shortly after the unexpected resignation of Superintendent Andrew Bott, the Brookline School Committee appointed four members of the School Committee to a Superintendent Search Committee (the “SSC”) to conduct a search for a new Superintendent of Schools.
As part of the search process, the SSC organized numerous community focus groups, a community-wide survey and other activities in order to obtain feedback as to the characteristics and experience that the Brookline community felt the next Superintendent should possess. In addition, the SSC selected 14 individuals to serve, along with the SSC, on a Superintendent Search Public Advisory Committee (the “SSPAC”) to review candidate credentials, conduct candidate interviews and recommend finalists. The SSPAC was an incredibly diverse group that included parents of current and former students, educators, alumni, a principal, the Director of Human Resources for the Public Schools of Brookline, and a current Brookline High School student.
Twenty-two candidates applied for the position of Superintendent. While the candidate pool included many talented candidates from diverse backgrounds and having impressive credentials, the SSPAC and the SSC have unanimously determined that it would be in the best interest of the Public Schools of Brookline to suspend the Superintendent search and reopen it in the fall of 2020 with the intention of having a new Superintendent in place at the beginning of the 2021-22 academic year.
While the SSPAC regrets that this winter’s efforts did not result in the hiring of a new Superintendent, the SSPAC felt that suspending the search until the fall would give the PSB sufficient time to refine the search strategy in a manner that will give the Public Schools of Brookline the best chance of attracting the strongest possible candidate pool.
In the coming weeks, the School Committee will discuss plans for the hiring of an Interim Superintendent for the 2020-21 academic year, as well as initial plans for the reopening of the search for a permanent Superintendent.
On behalf of the Brookline School Committee, I would like to thank the members of the SSPAC and the Brookline community for their extensive involvement in the recent search.
