School Committee to Enter Contract Negotiations With Dr. Steven Hiersche (from Framingham Schools) as Interim Superintendent

To recap the process to date, Assistant Superintendent, Dr Mary Ann DeMello, is now the Acting Superintendent through July 31, 2012. An Interim Superintendent Search Screening Committee was formed in June, consisting of two School Committee members and four HPS Administrative Team Members. (Names were drawn out of a hat, to select the two out of five School Committee members to be on this committee.) The Screening Committee members are: Nancy Burdick, Jon Graziano, Alan Keller (Middle School Principal), Mary Ann DeMello (Assistant Superintendent), Kim Pulnik (Director of Human Resources) and Marijane Hackett (Director of Student Services / Special Education).
The Screening Committee received 18 applications for the position of Interim Superintendent, they selected five semi-finalists, but two of those candidates withdrew their applications. The three remaining candidates, Mr Dennis Duquette, Dr Steven Hiersche and Mary Ellen Johnson, were interviewed in open televised school committee meetings on July 9 and 11. You can watch the interviews on the HCAM website http://www.hcam.tv/government-meetings. After interviewing the three candidates, the School Committee voted to move one candidate, Dr Hiersche, forward for further consideration. Members of the School Committee and HPS Administration called Dr Hiersche’s colleagues in the districts where he previously worked. Dr Hiersche also met with members of the HPS administrative team. At last night’s School Committee meeting, the School Committee voted three to two to select Dr Hiersche as Interim Superintendent. Pending successful contract negotiations, Dr Hiersche will start August 1, 2012.

Dr. Steven Hiersche holds a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from the University of Sarasota. He also holds Master of Education in Secondary Administration and Bachelor of Arts degrees from Westfield State College. He was recently the Superintendent for Framingham Public Schools, and previously served as Superintendent for Watertown and Plymouth Public Schools, as well as the Orleans Southwest Supervisory Union in Vermont. Prior to those positions, Dr. Hiersche held various principal and assistant principal posts. He began his career as a mathematics teacher in Enfield, CT.