How Many Superintendents Does Groton Need?

Mary Anne Butler, Groton’s assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction leaves Monday, and the school department is seeking an interim administrator until a permanent replacement can be found.

The job was posted last week and the posting ends Friday.

Meanwhile, the school department continues to pay Superintendent Paul Kadri his base salary of $167,475, or about $3,220 a week, while he remains on leave pending an investigation, and an equivalent salary to Interim Superintendent Randy Collins while he handles the job through August.

Collins said the way to avoid paying two superinendents is to finish the investigation quickly. Beyond that, he said he could make no comment on it.

But he said Butler’s job must be filled.

“I can tell you point blank that I am not going to be doing this job without that position filled. It is almost an impossible job now,” he said.

“I‘ve been a superintendent in three states and in three systems, in Waterford for 23 years, and I have literally never seen a system with so many issues to be resolved. I have been out every single night, and that’s with Mary Ann (Butler) doing her job.”

The assistant superintendent's job pays about $140,000.

Collins said he's dealing with consolidation of the middle schools, Fitch (Middle School) closing, redistricting, the curriculum and professional development.

On the upside, he said he has made progress in the last week week. He added that as of Monday, he had been to every school.

Collins said the next major issue he'll tackle will be redistricting.