NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The School Committee on Tuesday approved a superintendent search committee and a brochure advertisement for the post. 

 

Superintendent Barbara Malkas will retire at the end of the fiscal year after nine years in the post. 

 

The committee had agreed last month to have two of its members on the search panel in addition to Mayor Jennifer Macksey, who will be chair. 

 

But members held off on deciding who will represent them when it became apparent more than two were interested. 

 

On Tuesday, Macksey pulled the names of David Sookey and Cody Chamberlain out of a bag. They had both shown strong interest last month. 

 

"We had a lively discussion at the next last meeting, I asked those who were interested to send me an email," said Macksey. "I received three responses, one for Mr. Sookey, Mr. Chamberlain and Ms. [Tara] Jacobs. 

 

"To be fair, I don't want to choose one of my colleagues over the other, so I have this black bag with every one those three recipients names in it."

 

Sookey and Chamberlain will join Macksey on the search committee with 14 others approved by the committee.

 

"We had a lengthy conversation [about members]. We went out and asked people who were interested to email us," said the mayor. "I had some people in mind as well."

 

The are community members Maria "Toni" Diamond (an educator who was on the committee that chose Malkas) and Rebecca Cellana; Jason Canales of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (also a parent); parents Karen Bond (a former committee member) and Elizabeth Rutledge; Colegrove Park Principal Amy Meehan and Drury High Principal Stephanie Kopala; Adult Basic Education coordinator Annie Pecor; school Facilities Director Robert Flaherty and Director of Finance and Operations Nancy Rauscher; teachers' union representatives Michelle Darling and Mary Scanlon; nonprofessional staff representative Mary Beth Peck; and City Council President Bryan Sapienza. 

 

The first meeting of the search committee will be Thursday, Jan. 16, at 5:30 p.m.

 

"From your even brief description for those folks, I don't know, it seems like you put together a really robust list that hits everything we need, and it's very exciting," said committee member Alyssa Tomkowicz. "So thank you for all your effort in this."

 

The committee also reviewed and approved the brochure, which described the community, the school district and the responsibilities of the superintendent. 

 

The salary is pegged at between $155,000 and $180,000 with a three-year contract and negotiable fringe benefits. Candidates are expected to have at least 15 years in instructional education and administration with a doctorate in education or philosophy preferred. They should also be able to licensed in the state of Massachusetts. 

 

Applications are due by Feb. 7 with the anticipation intial interviews will be scheduled by the end February. The School Committee hopes to have finalist interviews by April 1. 

 

Disclosure: Rebecca Cellana is the business manager for BoxcarMedia.com, iBerkshires' parent company.