NORTHAMPTON — The School Committee will hold a special meeting Tuesday to discuss the process for choosing a new superintendent once John Provost starts working for the Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District next month.
At the committee’s Thursday meeting, members spent significant time debating whether to discuss the replacement process in open or executive session because a public airing could reveal internal candidates as well as contract negotiation strategy. Members ultimately voted to hold Tuesday’s meeting openly followed by an executive session. The virtual session begins at 7 p.m.
“At that meeting, we will determine the process for securing an interim” and hold a preliminary discussion about the process for finding a permanent replacement for Provost, committee vice chair Gwen Agna told the Gazette on Monday.
Provost starts his new superintendent job on July 1, pending contract negotiations. The School Committee has not yet published a job posting, but members may review templates that the Massachusetts Association of School Committees provides to help local officials find qualified candidates.
“My hope is that we will be able to discuss that together and determine what would make sense,” Agna said. “My sense is that we’re not waiting for” Provost to formally resign.
The leadership of Northampton High School remains undetermined for the coming school year, but answers are expected soon. According to Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra, who chairs the School Committee, an independent investigation involving Principal Lori Vaillancourt is wrapping up and a final report is due on or before June 27.
It is, however, “highly unlikely” that the report will be made public “given the privacy rights” of those involved, Sciarra told the committee on Thursday.
In March, Provost replaced Vaillancourt with a temporary leadership team that included former principal Nancy Athas. Vaillancourt had come under scrutiny after a Gazette report showed she had used the word “asshats” to describe members of the Student Union who were concerned about the embedded honors math program, for which she apologized.
Students demanded Vaillancourt’s removal at a March 16 walkout, citing the principal’s comment and overall dissatisfaction with efforts to improve student equity.
The school district retained attorney Regina Ryan of Discrimination and Harassment Solutions LLC to investigate complaints that officials received amid the controversy. The superintendent is responsible for appointing administrative personnel, including principals.
“Investigator Ryan has reported that she has completed her witness interviews and she’s in the process of reviewing the evidence she has gathered,” Sciarra said.
Provost will be Northampton’s superintendent for a few more days after Ryan’s deadline to submit the report and could make decisions based on its findings before his departure.
If “for any reason” the report is delayed until after Provost leaves, Sciarra said, the interim superintendent will be responsible for making personnel and operational decisions; any changes to district policy would be handled by the School Committee.
“There are many facets to it that have to do with the workplace,” Agna said of the investigation. “It’s more wide-ranging than just the process of embedded honors.” She said the program, which some parents found objectionable because it puts honors and non-honors students in the same classroom, is “not the main focus.”
To attend Tuesday night’s virtual meeting, go to https://bit.ly/39scldZ or call 1 (646) 876-9923. Use meeting ID 842 7667 6273 and passcode 986288.
Brian Steele can be reached at bsteele@gazettenet.com.