Superintendent Search Progressing

The Board of Education hopes to have a new superintendent hired and in place by July. 

Board of Education Chairman Chris Pattacini told the Board of Directors during its recent meeting, March 6, that the school board was aiming to begin narrowing down the field of candidates by April and, hopefully, have a final candidate selected and approved by the end of April or early May. The full Board of Education is serving as the search committee for the position. 

Pattacini said that a "handful" of candidates had applied for the job so far, but that the position would remain open until April 3. He said that 114 people completed an online survey about the qualities they would most like to see in the next superintendent, 32 people responded in a paper survey, and about 20 focus groups were conducted throughout the community about the vacancy and that approximately 200 people attended the focus group. 

"I think of this time of year as hunting season for superintendents," Pattacini told the Board of Directors Tuesday, adding that the goal was to have a new superintendent hired and on the job by July 1. 

When asked by the Board of Directors, Pattacini said the search was currently a "regional" search, and that candidates outside of the immediate area were not being targeted. He said that a brochure describing Manchester's public school system had been distributed to every superintendent in the state in an effort to attract candidates. 

has been serving in the position since last October, when to accept the superintendent job in the Waterbury public schools.