Wendy Crocker-Roberge, Lowell Public Schools Assistant Superintendent for Schools and Leadership, is one of three finalists for the Superintendent’s job in the Town of Reading.
The former Pyne Arts Magnet School Principal, who originally joined the LPS Administrative team as Interim Chief Schools Officer in July 0f 2023, is slated to participate in a “stakeholders” zoom session tomorrow and formally interview for the position Wednesday night, March 31.
Crocker-Roberge is competing against Heather Galante and Henry Turner for the post.
Interestingly, both have occupied the Principal’s post at Bedford (MA) High School, with Turner serving in that capacity from 2012-2016 before moving onto the same position at Newton North High School, where he is currently employed.
Galante replaced Turner in Bedford and still holds the job. Prior to that, she was a House Dean at Chelmsford High School from 2007 until taking the job in Bedford.
A fourth finalist, Andrew Bott, has apparently withdrawn from the process, as the Reading Public Schools website now only lists three finalists after previously listing him as scheduled for an interview as well.
Crocker-Roberge would seem to have an advantage in some areas, being the only one of the three finalists to have previously ascended to an Assistant Superintendent’s role. The Lowell Public Schools district is also significantly larger than the Reading district, which consists of about 4,000 students. By contrast, LPS serves over 14,000 students.
The timing of the interview contains a bit of political intrigue, with Crocker-Roberge at the center of a recent contractual controversy with the Lowell School Committee.
You’ll recall the board originally deadlocked on a three-year extension for her and two of her Assistant Superintendent colleague at its March 4 meeting. At the board’s next meeting on March 18, the language was amended to only a one year contract extension, which passed on a 5-1 vote despite outcry from the United Teachers of Lowell.
Crocker Roberge did not respond to our requests for comment regarding the timing of the process and whether the continued contractual uncertainty in Lowell played a role in her decision to seek employment elsewhere.
However, according to a late January report in the Daily Time Chronicle, the application process opened February 2 and closed March 1, which fell within the negotiating period for the Assistant Superintendents in Lowell, which resulted in the contentious school committee debate.
Crocker-Roberge’s status was also somewhat in a state of flux during last year’s budget process, before finally being included in the final numbers.
Along with the stakeholders meetings, the Reading School Committee will visit the finalists’ districts before the interviews and has scheduled a vote to name a new Superintendent at 9am on Saturday April 4.
The new district leader will succeed outgoing Superintendent Dr. Thomas Milaschewski, who is leaving at the end of the current school year to accept a job in Florida.
2 responses to “Lowell Asst. Superintendent a Finalist for Top Job in Reading”
As someone that watches ALL municipal and school committee mtgs. in Lowell and Dracut, this is very concerning and should be to all parents. This highly intelligent, very articulate, very professional, and very collegial lady has been an integral part of the stabilizing and very successful progress of the Lowell Public Schools. Along with Superintendent Liam Skinner and the other members of the school administrative TEAM, they have collectively been a stabilizing, student focused and very positive transformative force. This will potentially create a very significant leadership gap. Lowell needs continuity and to keep good people, because these are going to be very challenging times!
Additionally, just giving the School Superintendent and his Administrative Team a 1 year contract extension is not fair and is very unappreciative of the significant progress made. It’s basically a slap in the face! Just as I have advocated with the City Manager and his Administrative Team, a 3 year contract extension shows that we all value them and the experienced stability, continuity and vision they have, which is focusing on student achievement and strategic long term planning and goals.
The school children will surely suffer once again from what seems like this very frequent turnover and disruption of administrative personal. Research consistently shows that long term experienced leadership stability is a critical factor in not only school district performance, but with the staff and the whole community as well. They ALL have enough to deal with in these very challenging times, job insecurity and looking over their shoulder should NOT be another!