Superintendent of Schools Linda Dwight announced at Monday’s School Committee meeting that she will be leaving her position at the end of July 2026, a decision she said she had made about a year ago. She said leading the Harvard School District has been “wonderful—an amazing honor,” and she looked forward to helping the district transition to a new superintendent.
Dwight came to Harvard in 2011 as principal of the Hildreth Elementary School, a position she held for three years. In September 2013 the School Committee chose her as the upcoming superintendent, to take office when Superintendent Joe Connelly’s contract expired in June 2014. In her remarks, Dwight cited the value of her nine-month mentorship with Connelly. And by announcing her plans well ahead of her proposed departure date, she has given the district the chance for another well-organized transition.
Looking back over her time here, Dwight briefly mentioned the changes she has overseen. Many were related to curriculum or to support for students, such as more counseling and nursing support, reviving co-teaching, and making first-year algebra available to all eighth-graders. Other achievements were improving the physical facilities, such as paving the parking lots, renovating the science labs, and—above all—building the new elementary school.
The School Committee members were profuse in their thanks to Dwight for her years of service. Chair Abby Besse said Dwight’s decision was “a really important milestone in your life and in our district’s life. … You’ll be deeply missed.” She praised Dwight’s strength and courage as a leader. “We fortunately get you for another full year, … and we appreciate the amount of time we have for this transition,” Besse said.
