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Teachers, principals and parents urge board to keep interim superintendent
Summary
Dozens of staff, principals and parents addressed the committee during public comment to praise interim superintendent Jill Pilla Galarani’s leadership, saying she brought stability during transition and supported staff and students; committee members acknowledged the remarks but proceeded with the planned search.
A string of public‑comment speakers at the Blackstone‑Millville Regional School Committee’s May 21 meeting delivered personal testimony in support of interim superintendent Jill Pilla Galarani, praising her leadership during a year of transition and urging the committee to consider her for the permanent role.
Jenny Chan Ramka, principal at Frederick W. Hartnett Middle School, told the committee she has worked with "many superintendents" across a 28‑year career and that Jill’s combination of "stability, focus, organization, accountability and vision" set her apart. "She brought stability during a time of transition," Ramka said, recounting a time Jill met with her personally when she felt burned out and provided support.
Other speakers — including Christina Shafer (Mill Hill Elementary principal), Mary Colaninno (district lead coach), district staff and multiple parents — echoed those themes, saying Jill maintained continuity, supported instructional initiatives and helped keep the high‑school building project moving. "She's been visible, approachable, and focused on what matters most: our students," Mary Colaninno said.
Speakers described the transition after the previous superintendent’s departure as seamless in large part because of Jill’s presence. Several people noted the high‑school building project and district initiatives when explaining why continuity matters now. Some speakers became emotional while recounting personal experiences of support and encouragement from Jill.
Committee members thanked public commenters for their statements. Members emphasized that the hiring process must follow the public search timeline the committee approved; the board voted that night to proceed with an expedited superintendent search and to appoint a small paper‑screening committee to vet applicants after the May 29 posting closes. "We heard their words," one committee member said; "we value them and we will follow our search process."
