Board approves James O'Rourke as assistant superintendent for secondary education

The Nashua School District Board of Education voted to approve James (Jim) O'Rourke as assistant superintendent for secondary education, effective July 1, 2026, at an annual salary of $132,480.

Superintendent Dr. Andre introduced O'Rourke as the board's recommended candidate and told trustees the administration had been "really impressed with Jim's interview, his leadership, his professionalism, and his knowledge and capacity." O'Rourke, who identified himself as principal at Hillsborough‑Dearing High School and said he is in his 32nd year in education, told the board he was "incredibly excited to be here" and described his experience at large high schools and prior roles in the region.

Board members asked about discipline philosophy, equity, intervention programming and special‑education processes. O'Rourke said disciplinary decisions should be individualized and that out‑of‑school suspensions should be reserved for violent incidents; he described the use of intervention blocks and programs such as IXL to move students toward grade‑level performance. On equity, he said the priority is ensuring all students have opportunities and pathways to reach their potential and described interventions for the district's lowest performers.

Chair (speaker 1) moved the appointment; a board member seconded the motion. The board approved the appointment by voice vote, with the motion passing after "Aye" was called. No roll‑call tally was read into the record.

The board welcomed O'Rourke to the district after the vote. The appointment will take effect at the start of the 2026‑27 school year.

The item followed a public interview and Q&A at the meeting; trustees said they appreciated the candidate's experience and approach. No requests were recorded to place the hire into nonpublic session for further discussion.