Sharon School Committee approves new student services director and hires full-time athletic trainer

The Sharon School Committee on May 12 approved the hiring of Astrid Mazariegos as the districts student services director and heard that the district has filled a full-time athletic trainer position.

The committee voted 4-0, with one member recused, to approve the superintendents recommendation to hire Mazariegos as Sharon Public Schools student services director. The motion was made and seconded during the open session after the committee returned from an executive session held under Massachusetts law. Committee member Shauna recused herself from the process; recorded votes in the meeting transcript show Dan, Adam, Julie and one additional affirmative vote, for a 4-0 tally with one recusal.

The hiring followed an executive session referenced under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 30A, Section 21(a)(2), which the committee cited as authority to discuss strategy in preparation for negotiations with nonunion personnel. The committees public discussion did not disclose contract terms, salary, or the length of Mazariegos contract, and the motion as reflected in the public record authorized the committee to approve the contract and hire; specific contract details were not specified in the open session.

Dr. Patel, the district superintendent, told the committee that Mazariegos is "very excited to get started" and said the hire will allow the district to prepare to provide services; in the same remarks he noted an official start date variously as "June 1, July 1" in the audio record. The meeting did not resolve or clarify which of those dates is the official start.

After announcing the Mazariegos hire, Dr. Patel also announced the district had hired Suzanne Pacheco as a full-time athletic trainer, with an anticipated start of July 1. "We're very excited after having such a hard time finding a full time person over the last year," Dr. Patel said. The meeting did not include contract terms, salary information, or a hiring memorandum for the athletic trainer position in the public record.

The committees action was procedural following an executive-session search and negotiation process; the meeting record and the committees public remarks did not indicate additional conditions, contingencies, or external approvals required for either hire. The committee adjourned shortly after the votes and announcements; the record shows no further public debate about the hires during the May 12 meeting.