EDITORIAL

Time to pick a superintendent

Posted 9/22/15

The Warwick School Committee is expected to make a decision tomorrow night that hopefully will positively impact schools for years to come. Unless they can’t agree, both candidates withdraw their …

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EDITORIAL

Time to pick a superintendent

Posted

The Warwick School Committee is expected to make a decision tomorrow night that hopefully will positively impact schools for years to come. Unless they can’t agree, both candidates withdraw their names or, for some reason, they delay the process, the committee will pick the next superintendent of schools.

Both candidates are from outside the Warwick system, but not Rhode Island. Lori McEwen is chief of instruction, leadership and equity for Providence schools. Phillip Thornton is presently the superintendent of Cumberland schools. Both toured Warwick schools, met with the mayor and principals, and then addressed questions at an hour-long public forum before talking with the committee on separate days last week.

Their visits were designed to give each candidate a fair and equal opportunity to assess Warwick schools while providing those they would work with a chance to meet them. They visited the same schools, spoke with many of the same teachers and probably saw the same students. Their meetings with the principals were of equal time, as were the forums and the interviews conducted by the committee.

Principals were given forms to rate the candidates. Those attending the forums were likewise provided forms where they could voice their observations.

Even the questions posed at the forums were carefully chosen. Many were picked from more than 800 submitted in a survey when the committee conducted its own search that ended when the then-superintendent, who was a candidate, retired and the remaining applicant withdrew his application. The Warwick Teachers Union was invited to submit questions.

More has taken place behind the scenes, including interviews with job references and past and current employers. It’s no mistake that the process of vetting the candidates has been so evenly balanced and thorough. This has been the work of Interim Superintendent William Holland.

While engaged in the day-to-day operation of schools, Holland has worked to understand the challenges faced by the system so that he can articulate them to the candidates and they can understand what they would take on should they be chosen. This has not been a slick sales job.

Both candidates have said they see opportunities in Warwick schools and say they are prepared to take on the challenges. From those who have met with them, watched them and heard what they have had to say, both would make a good superintendent.

The matter now is in the hands of the School Committee. Having come this far, we urge them not to delay a decision.

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