Groton School Board Will Seek More Search Firms For Superintendent

The Groton Board of Education decided Monday to send out a request for proposals seeking additional search firms for a superintendent, and to begin forming the local committee that would be involved in the search.

Interim Superintendent John Ramos initiated the request for search firms after an executive session with the school board on March 11. Five firms responded.

The names of the firms were not immediately available, but Board Member Chaz Zezulka said their proposed fees were “outlandish.”

Board member Shelley Gardner said Ramos also disclosed that he works as a consultant for one of the five firms.

The board is under some time pressure to find a superintendent because Ramos’ contract as an interim expires June 30. Former Superintendent Paul Kadri was fired March 5.

Board Member Beverly Washington urged her colleagues not to rush the process.

“Don’t get scared that we’re not going to have anybody, because sometimes when you get scared you make wrong decisions,” she said.

If Groton does not find a superintendent by June 30, it would have to hire another interim superintendent.

The Board decided to send out its own request for proposals, then review all of the potential bids that have come in, possibly at its April meeting. The board will also discuss whether to initiate a national search for the next superintendent or a more local one confined to Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Board Member Robert Peruzzotti said he would support a local search because then, “You can call and say ‘What is the real story on this person?’” he said.

In the meantime, the board will begin forming the committee that would be involved in the search. The committee would include the following:

• One elementary school teacher, one middle school teacher and one high school teacher, to be chosen by the union

• One member of the paraprofessionals union to be chosen by the union

• One member of the secretaries’ union to be chosen by the union

• One member of the custodians’ union to be chosen by the union

• One member of the Town Council

• One member of Representative Town Meeting

• One member of the school department central office staff

• One parent to be chosen by the Groton Parent Council

The board also discussed having a member of the School Facilities Task Force and the military represented.

During the discussion, Gardner read an e-mail sent by a retired teacher of 36 years, who urged the board not to spend money on a search firm but to find a superintendent within the Groton school system.

“Please don’t spend our hard earned tax dollars searching for an unknown,” the retired teacher wrote.

But School Board Vice Chairwoman Beth Gianacoplos said she believes the board needs a search firm or consultant. She said the board does not have the expertise or the time to complete background checks and other work necessary for the search.