Internal candidate chosen as SBRSD superintendent

SHEFFIELD – David M. Hastings is feeling the love from the Southern Berkshire Regional School District (SBRSD).

On Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14), the SBRSD School Committee unanimously voted to offer the now-curriculum and professional development coordinator the job as superintendent starting July 1, pending contract negotiations.

“I’m so excited,” Mr. Hastings told The Beacon following the announcement. “It’s a wonderful job to have.”

“I look at a leader as someone with honesty, integrity and vision, and that’s where I see Dave Hastings,” School Committee Member Charles B. Flynn said earlier in the evening.

In a straw poll non-binding vote earlier in the evening, Monson Public Schools Curriculum and Instruction Director Linda L. Carrier received four votes to Mr. Hastings’ six.

Jennifer Sahn, H. Dennis Sears, Carl Stewart and Vito Valentini all voted for Ms. Carrier, citing a need to have a new face running the district.

“I don’t mean in any fashion to diminish Mr. Hastings’ abilities,” Mr. Valentini said. “I passionately believe that this district needs an outside vision. … I want someone to come in and look at things with fresh eyes.”

That left no votes for the other two candidates, Turners Falls High School Principal Patricia E. Gardner and Tewksbury Public Schools Assistant Superintendent Patricia A. Lally.

“The search team brought four very worthy candidates for us,” said School Committee Member Maria Rundle. “[But] none of them set off the fireworks that put them head and shoulders over Mr. Hastings.”

In addition to Ms. Rundle, Arthur J. Batacchi Jr., Kenzie Fields, Mr. Flynn, E. Bonnie Silvers and Kristin Sparhawk chose Mr. Hastings in the non-binding vote.

“With Dave, we’re getting more than an individual,” Ms. Silvers said. “He is the right person for our district.”

Seeing a clear winner in the straw poll, the school committee then decided to go ahead and offer the position to Mr. Hastings.

The school committee’s decision was the culmination of a four-night interview process of the four candidates.

Carrier interview

Immediately preceding the school committee’s deliberation process, the interview with Ms. Carrier was conducted.

Throughout her interview, she emphasized her experience and adeptness at being a team player.

“I try to work with people as opposed to at people,” she said.

Most of her time working with people at Monson has centered on aligning with the Common Core and working with teachers to start the new educator evaluation system.

In addition to her time at Monson, Ms. Carrier has experience as a music teacher and other administrative experience, including one year as principal of Reed Middle School in Pittsfield.

“We did a tremendous amount of work in changing the culture,” she said of her time at Reed.

Some concern was raised by her lack of having a steady position, as most of her job titles only lasted for two years or less. Specifically citing Reed, Ms. Carrier said she left to be closer to her son.

“My career has been a family enterprise,” she said.

Now that her son is out of school, she said she was looking for something more permanent and was willing to relocate to The Berkshires if hired as superintendent.

Posted by Catherine M. Krummey on February 21, 2013. Filed under Education News,News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry