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Cumberland schools report resignations, retirements and several multi-year contract extensions
Summary
Administrators reported three resignations, two custodial retirements, an unpaid leave, and six three-year contract extensions across the district; several long-serving staff received tributes at the June 12 meeting.
The Cumberland School Committee on June 12 heard a personnel report listing multiple resignations, retirements, an unpaid leave and contract extensions.
Personnel staff reported three resignations effective June 30, 2025: Melissa Kuznets, curriculum coordinator for grades 9-12; Vanessa Perez, paraprofessional at Garvin School; and Lucia Marino, MLL (multilingual learner) teacher at Cumberland High School. The committee was told one unpaid leave of absence has been granted for the 2025-26 school year to Carissa Rockwell, an English teacher for grade 8 at North Cumberland Middle School.
Two custodial retirements were announced with effective dates and service lengths: Daniel Leet, custodian at B.F. Norton, will retire effective July 31 after seven years of service; Francisco Ray, custodian at Cumberland Hill, will retire effective July 11 after 12 years. The committee also heard tributes for several long-serving educators and staff who announced retirements during the meeting, including classroom teachers and paraprofessionals; presenters praised their decades of service and described their contributions to students and colleagues.
Administrators also reported six employees received three-year contract extensions: Mindy Thoreau (confidential assistant/benefits coordinator, human resources); Asia Macron (confidential assistant to the director of special education); Roger Hamm (district support technician); Rachel Powell (Cumberland Preschool Center principal); and Sarah Kelly (Cumberland High School assistant principal). (The transcript lists six extensions but names five in the personnel report; the committee record should be checked for the complete list.)
School leaders publicly recognized multiple retirees during the meeting. Remarks from principals highlighted long tenures and direct student impact: tributes included praise for a teacher who served 29 years in the district and another staff member with 36 years of service. Several retirees spoke briefly to thank colleagues and the community.
The personnel items were presented as part of the meeting record. The transcript does not show a separate roll-call vote on individual personnel items at the time they were reported.
The committee placed several retirement recognitions on the record and approved other items on the agenda later in the meeting.
