Oxford School Board to Hire Superintendent

The believes it has found an educational leader who will bring stability to the four-school district and help make significant strides toward improving public education.

The board plans to hire a superintendent of schools Monday night after receiving 14 applications from qualified candidates following a months-long search spearheaded by a committee and a search consultant from the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education, or CABE. Oxford Board of Education Chairwoman Paula Guillet said a vote to hire the school chief will take place at 6 Monday night in the library at . (See agenda attached at right.)

"We're very excited about the candidate," Guillet said. "We had some extremely qualified people apply, and we were able to find the best fit for the district."

Guillet would not reveal the name of the candidate until Monday night. She said the person who will be voted upon is from Connecticut and that there were no internal applicants from the Oxford school system. She would not reveal any further details about the finalist until Monday.

Of the 14 applicants, the board decided to interview six candidates, Guillet said. She said the CABE consultant was instrumental in helping to recruit quality applicants from Connecticut and beyond. Guillet hopes the school board will show a united front on Monday and vote unanimously in favor of the finalist. 

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The school system in Oxford is in serious need of some stable leadership at the top. The town has seen four people serve in the superintendent's role in the past two school years. Judith Palmer resigned in the summer of 2010 following a bitter battle with the then-Board of Education leaders, who were accused by Palmer supporters of orchestrating a plan to oust her. She eventually left and took a job as superintendent of schools in her town of residence, Winsted, Litchfield County, where she is still the school chief.

The board then brought on former Bridgeport to serve as interim school chief before of Massachusetts was hired to serve on a full-time basis on Jan. 14, 2011. Malvey wasn't in the position for four months before he resigned; by then board leadership. 

So, the school board brought Connelly back on board for another stint as interim school chief. He served for about six months, as long as he could per state Board of Ed. guidelines, and the Oxford board brought in another interim, longtime former Newtown Superintendent . Reed is currently at the helm and will likely help to transition the new person into his or her role.