Skip To Main Content

Superintendent Search

Superintendent Search

Material for Superintendent Search 2020 - 2021

The Gateway Regional School Committee is undertaking a search for a superintendent to replace Dr. Hopson who is retiring during the summer of 2021. The committee has opted to undertake the search itself rather than hire a consulting firm. As a first step, the committee has assigned the preliminary tasks to the superintendent search subcommittee (previously the superintendent evaluation subcommittee).

The school committee will be undertaking a number of steps in the search process, involving the school community and the general community in the process of identifying attributes and qualifications for the new superintendent. As allowed by law, the committee will be posting information on these steps to the public.

Any questions should be directed to Michele Crane, chairperson of the Gateway School Committee.

School Committee Interviews: The school committee will meet on March 24th and March 31st, from 6 to 9 each evening, to interview the finalists. At that time they will have available all of the finalists' applications, results of reference checks, the recordings of the forums, and the compiled information gathered from surveys of the attendees of each forum.

Superintendent Finalists Public Forums: The four finalists for the superintendent's position will visit the district in the second and third weeks of March. Each candidate's visit will include a tour of the district, an opportunity to meet with central office staff, technology staff, and administrative staff before participating in two staff forums (a combination of in-person and remote attendance) in the afternoon and two remote community forums during the evening. The forums will offer each candidate an opportunity for an opening statement, a chance to answer a short series of common questions, and a chance for the audience to ask additional questions. Each forum will be recorded so that the school committee members may review the interactions and each forum participant will have the opportunity to complete an online survey about the candidates. The survey results will be compiled and provided to the school committee and will be completely anonymous. The public forum dates and times with the appropriate links are listed below.

Gina Flanagan

Monday, March 8th at 6 pm; - meet.google.com/bwn-qudu-tue

Monday, March 8th at 7:30 pm; Parents and Students - meet.google.com/mkz-wsxx-yfq

Kurt Garivaltus

Thursday, March 11th at 6 pm; Town Officials and Community Members - meet.google.com/kkr-yquu-rvr

Thursday, March 11th at 7:30 pm; Parents and Students - meet.google.com/wyk-ceir-dts

Kristen Smidy

Monday, March 15th at 6 pm; Town Officials and Community Members - meet.google.com/zwx-fjvz-gnj

Monday, March 15th at 7:30 pm; Parents and Students - meet.google.com/cyn-kgie-dur

William Bazyk

Thursday, March 18th at 6 pm; Town Officials and Community Members - meet.google.com/rmy-acfw-nhy

Thursday, March 18th at 7:30 pm; Parents and Students - meet.google.com/ckv-jtaa-cku

 

Preliminary Search Results

The superintendent search committee (a group of 6 school committee members) reviewed 22 applications and narrowed the list of finalists to four individuals:

  • Gina E Flanagan - West Suffield, CT, Principal East Longmeadow High School (2020), currently attending Harvard's School Leadership & Management Program

  • William Bazyk - Manchester, VT, Superintendent, Battenkill Valley Supervisory Union

  • Kristen Smidy - Westfield, MA, Principal, Hampshire Regional

  • Kurt Garivaltis - Pittsfield, MA, Pupil Services Director, Gateway Regional

  • Virtual Public Hearing: October 28 7pm-9pm (click on heading for further information)
    • https://us04web.zoom.us/j/79125329789?pwd=TklqbElaSzRUdXlFK3dYTk10QTlOQT09
             Meeting ID: 791 2532 9789 Passcode: 1vT888 (The meeting will be recorded for the exclusive use of the            Superintendent Search Committee)
    • To sign up to present verbal commentary, please use the following link https://forms.gle/Nz6KTXRnBFsqCcYq8
    • Written commentary can be provided either through email (addressed to myopinion@grsd.org with the subject line as “Superintendent Forum Comments”) or via regular postal mail to Stacy Stewart, Gateway Regional School District, 12 Littleville Road, Huntington, MA 01050.
  • November 4 Meeting Posting
  • Public Forums Posting
  • Finalist Interviews Full School Committee Posting