Superintendent Thomas Jefferson confirmed this week that the Lynnfield School Committee has offered him the position of superintendent for the Lynnfield School District. Jefferson was chosen from a field of 28 applicants for the post. He informed Keith Cheveralls, chairman of the Harvard School Committee, of the offer by e-mail on Jan. 13. Jefferson expects to submit a formal letter of resignation once the details of his contract with Lynnfield are settled.
Lynnfield is a substantially larger district than Harvard, with more than 2,200 students in five schools—a preschool, two elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school. Harvard has about 1,300 students in the Hildreth Elementary School and the Bromfield School.
Like Harvard, Lynnfield is a high-performing school district. On the 10th-grade MCAS tests last year, Lynnfield ranked third in English and 11th in math, while Harvard ranked 13th in English and first in math.
Jefferson’s new salary will not be set until the contract is finalized, but Lynnfield advertised a pay range of $160,000 to $180,000 for the superintendent’s position. Harvard currently pays Jefferson $141,395.
Cheveralls issued a statement by e-mail, saying that he has met with Jefferson to congratulate him on being offered the position. “Tom will undoubtedly thrive in Lynnfield,” the statement read. “The School Committee will be discussing leadership succession plans and issues at its meeting on Jan. 24. In the intervening period, committee members will undoubtedly be giving much personal and creative thought to the opportunity now in front of us and how we can best work together with all stakeholders to ensure a seamless transition to new leadership that will amplify the long tradition of commitment, achievement and pride in our schools and community.
“We wish Tom every success in his new position and look forward to working with him as we close out the school year and transition into new leadership,” Cheveralls said.
Accomplishments and controversy
Jefferson came to Harvard in 2005, after having served as superintendent in Somers, Conn., for three years. Before that, he was an elementary school principal in Simsbury, Conn., and in Shutesbury, Mass. He earned his doctoral degree in educational leadership from the University of Hartford.
keeps on giving.’”
—Tom Jefferson
During Jefferson’s tenure, the Harvard schools received both state and national recognition for academic achievement. In December 2009, the Bromfield School ranked in the top 100 public high schools nationwide, out of 21,000 schools rated by U.S. News & World Report. (The only other Massachusetts school to make the top 100 was Boston Latin, an exam school.)
Looking back over his six years in Harvard, Jefferson praised the leadership team that worked with him. “Jim [O’Shea] and Scott [Hoffman] have made an exceptional team. I’ve also been able to hire folks such as Mark Force, Pam DeGregorio, and Suzanne Mahoney. As well, we’ve recruited and developed many exceptional teachers at both schools. In Central Office we’ve promoted Mary Zadroga and brought over Karen Shuttle, as well as hiring Sharon Schmidt.”
When Jefferson first arrived, he faced at least two critical problems. Harvard’s special education program was on the brink of losing federal funds for failing to comply with regulations. At the same time, the kindergarten wing of the elementary school risked being closed by the Board of Health for mold contamination. Jefferson took the lead in resolving both issues.
Jefferson worked with teachers, town officials, and community representatives to develop a strategic plan with fundamental goals for the Harvard school system. The plan, designed to cover the years from 2008 to 2013, sets two top educational priorities—developing critical thinking skills and meeting the needs of all learners. In support of those goals, the plan emphasizes professional development for faculty and staff, communication, and accountability.
Jefferson advocated for an agreement to educate students from Devens in the Harvard school system, under which MassDevelopment pays the full per-pupil cost. Describing the effects of that agreement, Jefferson said, “I would say that the contract with MassDevelopment has been ‘the gift that keeps on giving.’ I share credit with Stu [Sklar] and Willie [Wickman] for taking a visionary stand with me. … Those funds have truly kept us afloat the past few years.”
Jefferson was lauded for making the school budgeting process accurate and transparent. According to former School Committee member Willie Wickman, the budget process he put in place was praised as one of the best in the state at a conference of Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC). Jefferson praised Finance Director Lorraine Leonard for working hard with him to create a purchase order system that allows the schools to track expenditures.
Jefferson also pushed to upgrade learning technology in the Harvard schools, particularly at the elementary level. All classrooms for first- through fifth-graders were equipped with Smartboards, and teachers received substantial training in their use. Next year’s budget has provision for 25 new computers at Bromfield.
Asked if his departure would affect the current search for a new principal at the Hildreth Elementary School (HES), Jefferson doubted it would change the process. “All the same factors still apply. The best person is still going to be the best person,” he said, noting that the three finalists all have excellent track records.
In 2009 Jefferson and former School Committee member Paul Wormser faced conflict-of-interest charges before the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission. The complaint alleged that Wormser and Jefferson knowingly misused their positions in 2006 to obtain $30,000 in tuition reimbursements for an out-of-district placement for Wormser’s daughter. In April 2010, the Ethics Commission concluded that both men had failed to follow proper procedures and assessed fines of $4,000 against each of them. Jefferson elected to appeal the ruling, and his appeal is still pending.
According to reports in the Peabody/Lynnfield Weekly News, the Lynnfield School Committee looked into the ethics issue and was satisfied with Jefferson’s responses to their questions. Committee member Timothy Doyle was quoted as saying, “Dr. Jefferson is a dedicated, honorable man who admitted making a mistake, and I believe he has learned from it. He’s an achiever and will do this district and the town a lot of good.”
Problems in seeking a superintendent
Finding a new superintendent is not an easy process. Many teachers are reluctant to become administrators, a fact that complicates every school district’s search for a principal or superintendent. There was widespread agreement among those contacted for this article that the pool of applicants for administrative positions is shrinking.
Jefferson pointed out that the move from teacher to administrator involves a major increase in public responsibility and time commitment, including work in the summers and frequent evening meetings. To many teachers, the increased pay is not enough to outweigh the increased stress, he said.
Glenn Koocher, executive director of MASC, also blamed a “rancid regulatory climate” for making the job of superintendent difficult to fill. Koocher noted that it is late in the year for Harvard to begin the search for a superintendent.
According to the MASC website, many school districts across the state are either currently seeking a superintendent, are about to begin a search, or have just completed one. MASC lists 15 ongoing searches, four upcoming ones (not including Harvard), and nine recently completed searches.
Harvard may face its own particular problem in recruiting a new superintendent. According to the Peabody/Lynnfield Weekly News, MASC’s Koocher described Harvard as a town where some residents “make it their life’s mission” to harass school administrators. Koocher was quoted as saying, “There are people in that town who historically turn on the superintendent. If Jefferson leaves, his adversaries will turn on the successor and find another boogey man to go after.”
Cheveralls rejected that characterization of Harvard, saying, “I completely disagree with what Glenn did. … I’m not quite sure what he was thinking. Do we really have a problem here that is different from other towns? I’m not sure we do.”
Jefferson would not comment on Koocher’s remarks except to say that the town might have “some soul-searching to do.” He pointed to the historical record of both school and town administrators and wondered, “Who has served their time and left with celebration?”
In speaking to the Press, Koocher sidestepped the question of his earlier comments, instead complimenting Harvard on its achievements. “Any time the highest-performing school district looks for a superintendent, it will attract good candidates,” he said. “I deal with a lot of districts that have trouble. Harvard does not have trouble.”
Koocher also suggested that towns usually approach hiring new administrators with a positive outlook. “During a transition, people are at their most constructive mindset,” he explained.
