Winthrop board appoints new member, hires middle school principal, approves job description and pauses non‑essential spending

The Winthrop School Board approved several personnel and administrative actions at its April meeting.

Appointment and hires The board appointed Aaron Storz to fill an unexpected school board vacancy through Dec. 31, 2026. The chair welcomed Storz following the vote.

The board also approved the recommendation of the search committee to employ J. Sharet as the next Winthrop Middle School principal for the 2026–27 school year. Sharet, who brings about 25 years of experience in education according to the superintendent’s introduction, said he is “excited to be part of Winthrop Public Schools” and expects to start in July.

Administrative restructuring The board unanimously approved a new executive administrative coordinator job description that formalizes combining the transportation director role with assistant duties to the superintendent; Dr. Foley said the arrangement produces an estimated annual savings of approximately $100,000.

Budget note Superintendent Dr. Foley told the board she has frozen non‑essential spending for April to better assess year‑end projections, although necessary expenditures will continue to be approved. Members of the public later urged the board to provide clearer revenue context when discussing the proposed spending increase and to ensure the finance committee meets regularly during the budget season.

Ending The board took the votes as part of a longer meeting that also included lengthy public comment and a separate debate over policy JB (guidance on transgender students). The board closed the meeting at about 8:05 p.m.