Mashpee school committee reopens superintendent survey, sets hiring timeline and names search chair

The Mashpee School Committee on Nov. 4 voted to reopen its superintendent stakeholder survey through Nov. 15 after members said technical delivery problems and a one-week window produced a low and staff-heavy response. Committee members reviewed a draft job posting and a proposed search timeline, set a closing date for applications and sketched a January interview and site-visit schedule. They also appointed Kathy Lewis chair of the search committee.

Committee members told staff they had heard from students who said they never received the SchoolStatus Connect message used to distribute the survey, and several said the short collection period likely depressed participation among parents and students. After reviewing response counts cited by staff, members agreed to reopen the survey immediately and solicit more input, particularly from families and students. The committee directed staff to screen free-text comments for personally identifying information before posting results online.

The committee set Dec. 13, 2024, as the tentative closing date for applications and discussed a preliminary screening window in early January, with finalist interviews and school-site visits to follow mid-January. Members acknowledged holiday scheduling challenges and agreed the only fixed public date to advertise should be the application closing day; other dates will be listed as tentative to preserve fairness for applicants.

Members also reviewed the draft recruitment brochure and job posting, asking staff to simplify the front page (reduce duplicate logos and graphics), avoid photographs of children for privacy reasons, consolidate the long list of candidate attributes into a shorter set of priority criteria for the public posting, and make the 'find out more' links and QR codes more prominent. One committee member offered to produce a redesigned mock-up for the group to consider.

On committee composition, members proposed a screening/search committee with representation from two school committee members, a tribal representative, at least one building principal, central-office staff (two slots were identified for Ashley and Sher), union representation, parents (including special-education and ELL/CPAC representation), a student representative and a possible business/community seat. The committee agreed to send formal letters to principals, parent groups and the tribe to solicit volunteers for the search-committee slots and to include schedule availability (tentative interview dates) in those outreach letters.

In a formal motion, the committee appointed Kelly and Kathy to lead the search process and designated Kathy Lewis as chair of the search committee. Kathy Lewis will work with central office staff on orientation and early screening tasks. The committee agreed staff would post updated materials this week, subject to edits returned by the committee.

Next steps: the survey will remain open through Nov. 15 for additional input; staff will revise the brochure and posting per committee direction and post the application with a Dec. 13 closing date. The committee expects screening and preliminary interviews in early January, with finalist site visits and interviews to follow, and intends to vote on a finalist at a subsequent meeting as scheduled by the committee calendar.