Dr. Jennifer Turner outlines relationship-first approach, budget and curriculum priorities in Beverly superintendent interview

Dr. Jennifer Turner, a candidate for superintendent of Beverly Public Schools and currently serving in curriculum and instruction leadership in Melrose Public Schools, told the Beverly Public Schools Committee of the Whole on April 14 that she is a “relationship first leader” and described how she would prioritize community engagement, teacher recruitment and curriculum alignment if hired.

Turner said she spent the day visiting district schools and meeting families, and stressed two consistent themes: establishing systems for two-way communication and using data to guide academic decisions. "I am a relationship first leader," Turner said, adding that she would invite student voice onto district committees and use tools such as a regularly updated Google site and neighborhood coffees hosted by volunteers to reach families who cannot attend daytime meetings.

The interview came as the committee continues a search for a permanent superintendent. Turner told the panel she would focus on rebuilding trust after recent labor tensions while maintaining academic progress. "We have to keep our focus on what is most important and that is student learning," she said, adding that short-term success would include healing among staff and community alongside steady academic progress.

On teacher recruitment and retention, Turner described partnerships with nearby colleges and targeted pathways for paraprofessionals to earn licensure as successful models from Melrose. She said Melrose hired paraprofessionals who completed practicum hours toward licensure and that most stayed in-district. Turner also cited nonfinancial supports to curb burnout — for example, making herself available to cover classes so teachers could take a break — and professional-development incentives that can lead to salary upgrades.

Turner discussed handling bullying, discrimination and harassment by maintaining up-to-date prevention plans, clear reporting mechanisms (including anonymous reporting), supportive investigation processes and careful use of restorative practices. She described revising a district bullying prevention and intervention plan in her prior role and said, "We need to have clear protocols in place. We need to make sure everybody understands what those protocols are."

On curriculum and instruction, Turner said she currently oversees curriculum, instruction and assessment for Melrose Public Schools and favors regular program review. She recommended expanding program-review cadence, piloting potential curriculum materials and emphasizing both high-quality materials and high-quality pedagogy. Turner recommended the Massachusetts DESE standards navigator as a practical planning tool and said she had led pilots of Illustrative Mathematics at the middle school level and the secondary edition of a literacy program in Melrose.

Turner described extensive budget experience, including work on multiple budget scenarios during a period in Melrose that began with a $2 million gap and advanced to an approximately $4.6 million deficit. She said she has used both needs-based and zero-based budgeting approaches and has restructured teaching-and-learning budgets into transparent line-item formats. Turner also described negotiating with vendors, moving some tools in-house and pursuing grants as cost-saving strategies.

On civil-rights and diversity issues, Turner told the committee that DEI work is core to district practice rather than an add-on. She described a past curriculum challenge that she resolved after meeting with a concerned parent, and said the district must stand by inclusive curricular and school practices while engaging in difficult conversations with families.

Turner said technology should be integrated with clear instruction for students and robust professional development for staff. She urged teaching organizational and digital-literacy skills (for example, naming and organizing Google Drive files) and said the district should plan technology purchases with predictable lifecycle and maintenance costs.

When asked about hiring an assistant superintendent, Turner said she would use a multi-stakeholder, anti-bias search process with a committee, public input and performance tasks for finalists. She described looking for complementary experience and diversity of perspective on an executive team.

The committee concluded the public portion of the meeting with a motion to adjourn. The motion to adjourn was made by Lorinda Visnick, seconded by Karen Robinson, and approved; the transcript did not record a roll-call tally.

Turner closed by describing personal reasons for her commitment to special-education work and cited earlier leadership roles in Lexington and North Reading, along with program and building-level experience during COVID and a major construction project.

Votes at a glance: The only formal action recorded in the transcript was a motion to adjourn moved by Lorinda Visnick and seconded by Karen Robinson; the motion passed but the transcript does not show a roll-call tally.