Schools
School Committee Negotiates Contract with New Superintendent
Assistant Superintendent Maryann Perry named to replace departing Dr. Greg Maass.
After months of turmoil on the School Committee that led to the resignation of Superintendent Greg Maass, the committee has agreed unanimously that Maryann Perry is the right person to lead Marblehead schools for at least the next couple of years.
The committee met in executive session Monday night to hammer out a contract for Perry, who is the assistant superintendent for curriculum. The terms were not disclosed, but the salary in expected to be in the range of $150,000 to $180,000 per year.
"Assuming everything goes as it should, I will be the new superintendent," Perry said.
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Perry came to the Marblehead schools last year as part of Maass' leadership team. She had been the deputy superintendent at the Leominister schools for four years. She also taught at Fitchburg State University.
Maass resigned earlier this year after conflicts arose within the board that he said made continuing in his job untenable. Since his resignation, chairman Erim Chun stepped down, but remained on the committee. Jonathan Lederman, who was vice chairman, was voted the new chairman, but chose not to run for reelection to the committee. Many voters seem to perceive Lederman as part of the cause of the conflict with the popular Maass.
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Last month, the Town Meeting members gave Maass a standing ovation.
Meredith Tedford was elected to fill the vacant seat on the committee.
Maass introduced Perry to the School Committee last year as the person who supervises curriculum for pre-kindergarten-Grade 12, manages district testing and “has a passion for grants.”
He said when he checked with her associates he found people who thought of her as someone who “will find funding to make anything happen.” And prophetically, Maass quoted one of her colleagues as saying, “I would not only rehire her, I would hire her as superintendent.”
Maass noted that Leominster MCAS scores improved while she was deputy superintendent.
Perry told the committee that “None of that is possible without a good team” and said she felt “humble to be here.”
When contacted in her office Monday, Perry said she has learned much from working with the school committee and administration since coming to Marblehead. Now it is time to show the committee what she has learned, she said.
