Cromwell Board appoints Michael Lucas as superintendent; names Ramsey Bimington acting superintendent for July

The Cromwell Board of Education voted at a special June 1 meeting to appoint Michael Lucas as superintendent effective July 27, 2026, through June 30, 2029, subject to approval by the Connecticut commissioner of education and satisfactory completion of statutory hiring requirements. The board also appointed Ramsey Bimington as acting superintendent for July 1–26, 2026.

Board Chair (identified in the meeting record as the presiding officer) read the formal motion under Section 10-157 of the Connecticut General Statutes, authorizing the chair to finalize and execute employment contracts on behalf of the board. The motion to appoint Lucas was moved and seconded; the board voiced its approval and the chair announced the motion passed.

Why it matters: The appointments ensure leadership continuity as outgoing Superintendent Dr. Enza Macri departs. Board members described a rigorous search process and cited Lucas’s 28 years in education — including roles as a social-studies teacher, coach, principal and most recently superintendent in Oxford, Massachusetts — as reasons for selecting him.

Board members praised the search and the candidate’s student-centered philosophy. The chair summarized Lucas’s stated approach, saying his cover letter emphasized “my philosophy is whatever’s best for the kids, whatever’s best for those that are supporting the kids.” Multiple board members thanked Dr. Macri for her leadership and welcomed Lucas.

Michael Lucas addressed the meeting after the actions, saying the interview process felt student-centered and values-driven. “It was a great experience… I’m very excited to come here as well,” he said, adding he looks forward to working with administrators, staff and families.

The board’s second action appointed Ramsey Bimington as acting superintendent for the interim period of July 1–26, 2026, with the same statutory and commissioner-approval conditions. The chair noted the district’s need for short-term coverage while Lucas finishes his current commitment; the motion was seconded and passed.

Next steps: Both appointments are conditioned on the commissioner of education’s approval and completion of statutory hiring requirements; the chair is authorized to finalize and sign the employment contracts on behalf of the board. The board also noted that the regular board meeting is scheduled the following evening.

Reported authorities and contractual conditions appear in the motion text as read at the meeting; the transcript records the statutory citation as “section 10-157 of the Connecticut general statutes.”