WILMINGTON, MA — WCTV Executive Director Shaun Neville recently sat down with Wilmington School Committee Chair Julie Broussard and Vice Chair Steve Bjork to discuss former Superintendent Mary DeLai’s resignation.
Highlights from the interview include:
- The School Committee first found out about DeLai’s August 25th DUI arrest on September 29. Broussard received a call from DeLai around 2pm. She then called the school district’s attorney to get legal advice. Broussard then called the Executive Secretary at the Roman House to post the agenda for an Executive Session meeting to discuss the matter. (Monday, October 3 was the earliest the meeting could take place due to the Open Meeting Law’s 72-hour notice requirement.) Broussard then called School Committee members to alert them of the Executive Session. During that time, Broussard also spoke with Town Manager Jeff Hull and Mike Gilbert, a Field Director for the Massachusetts Association of School Committees.
- “It was a really difficult evening. I don’t think anybody wanted to be there,” said Broussard of the October 3 Executive Session meeting. “I’m very proud of how the School Committee came together. I think we treated the evening and proceedings with professionalism, dignity and respect for all involved.”
- Bjork noted that School Committee members surprisingly received very little direct feedback from parents between when the news broke on Sunday morning and the Executive Session the following night. The Committee did receive “a ton of emails” since the Executive Session, leading up to the selection of an Interim Superintendent.
- “Bringing [Joanne Benton] back… knowing the system, knowing the buildings, knowing the people, knowing the unions, just made the most sense, especially given that we’re only 2 weeks out from budget season,” said Bjork.
- Bjork noted that it would be ideal if Benton were to be able to mentor the permanent superintendent once that process plays out.
- Broussard expects the search process will begin shortly after January 1. Search will take 3-4 months with superintendent hopefully named by the end of the school year.
- Broussard notes the Committee should first look internally to see if the district has anyone ready to be the Superintendent.
- Broussard maps out a search process that sounds similar to the one the Committee used three years ago, which includes community engagement at several points in the process.
Watch the video, courtesy of Wilmington Community Television, below:
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