During tonight’s Pittsfield School Committee meeting, members voted to appoint Lowell Public Schools’ Chief Equity and Engagement Officer, Latifah Phillips, as their Interim Superintendent. The decision came as a surprise to many — including Phillips herself, who was attending the Lowell School Committee meeting at the same time.

Phillips was originally hired by former Lowell Superintendent Joel Boyd and had thrown her hat in the ring for the Superintendent position following Boyd’s departure. More recently, her role was slated to be cut in Superintendent Liam Skinner’s proposed FY26 budget.