Board shuffles administrators

High school, middle school to get new principals

SOUTH COVENTRY » A new school year always means fresh faces, but when Owen J. Roberts High School and Middle School students begin classes at the end of August, they will see new faces in the principals’ offices.

At a recent meeting, the Owen J. Roberts School Board unanimously approved the alteration of assignments for two administrators. High School Principal Richard Marchini, who has led the high school for 10 years, has taken the position of district director of pupil services, effective immediately.

The agenda stated that the position came with no change in salary.

Also approved was the promotion of middle school Assistant Principal Corbin Stoltzfus to principal, effective July 30. His $135,000 salary will be prorated.

The two alterations of assignment mean that the board must now find replacements for Marchini and Stoltzfus.

Superintendent Susan Lloyd said the district would start the school year with an interim high school principal.

“At the middle school, we don’t need to have an interim assistant principal, but we can utilize our curriculum supervisor who can serve as assistant principal until we have a new hire,” Lloyd said.

The district has already posted the positions, with an eye on having the new hires in place by December 1.

The district website has laid out an anticipated timeline that calls for posting the position for 30 days, through August 24. A first round of interviews with the HR director, administrators and the teachers’ union representative would begin Sept. 4. A second round of interviews with parents,

teachers and community members would take place Sept. 11, and a third round with the superintendent and assistant superintendent on Sept. 18. The candidates would be approved on Sept. 24, and would begin working on December 1.

That timeline was created, in part, as a result of a discussion among board members about district hiring practices for Act 93, administrative positions. The discussion was triggered by the two open positions, with several board members advocating for establishing guidelines that set a 30-day posting period for administrative positions.

Board member Karel Minor voiced concern over inconsistencies in the hiring process.

“My understanding is that we do not have well-established, written guidelines,” Minor said, noting that some positions have been advertised for as little as two days, others for two weeks.

The result, he said, is that the board often is faced with inadequate time to deliberate over candidates.

Establishing guidelines “will greatly improve the work we can do on behalf of the community,” Minor said.

Lloyd agreed, saying it is important for the district to have clearly defined practices so that “we’re more consistent with how long we post positions and where we post them.”

Board member Pamela Clouser Wolfe, who chairs the personnel committee, said the committee had sent the board a timeline associated with an existing policies that calls for posting a position for 18 days.

But Minor recommended a longer posting time to allow the board more time for deliberation.

“Most districts have 30 days,” Minor said.

The board agreed that a 30-day window would be preferable, and agreed to hold to that timeline for the high school principal and assistant middle school principal positions. The district has already begun posting those positions.

“That would give us from the close (of the posting) on August 24 to the first week of September to look at applicants,” Wolfe said, adding that it would allow the board time to review all applications before beginning the interview process.

However, board member Matthew Fitzgerald worried that there could be a downside to the 30-day posting.

“If we wait 30 days are we in jeopardy of losing qualified candidates because they’ve settled into the school year?” Fitzgerald asked.

Lloyd said the hiring process would be clearly outlined, and she stressed that the district could reach out to qualified candidates before August 24 to ensure they are aware of the timeline.

“If the perfect candidate is the perfect candidate for us, they will know that we follow our own rules,” said Minor. “Somebody who is going to start a career with us should think long and hard about it, as should we.”