2.2.24 Message from Superintendent
February 2, 2024
Dear NPS Community,
On October 30, 2023 Newburyport Public Schools, with the assistance of the New England School Development Council (NESDEC), officially posted for a new Director of Pupil Services. Over the past three months, the district has conducted a comprehensive search for a new director.
As part of the search process, NESDEC conducted a Community Needs Assessment which included three in-person focus groups and an online survey. Information from the needs assessment allowed NPS to create a Successful Candidate Profile to guide the search interview and selection process.
Within the profile, NESDEC outlines some of the immediate challenges and tasks facing our special education programs. Feedback from parents and staff identified the need for rebuilding effective school-parent partnerships and providing a clear vision and structure to ensure continuity and stability in staffing. The full profile can be found on the district website.
NESDEC also assisted the district in running a series of interviews and site visits. Three interview committees, including twenty-eight people representing parents, school committee members, NPS faculty and administrators, met and screened candidates. As is standard procedure, candidates were professionally vetted by both NESDEC and NPS.
I am pleased to share that the School Committee has approved the selection of Mr. Bradley Brooks as our new Director of Pupil Services. Mr. Brooks has accepted the position and will join our team officially on July 1, 2024.
Our Successful Candidate Profile describes a candidate who values working partnerships, is committed to learning about the rich tradition and history of the Newburyport community, and is a hands-on leader who enjoys student, staff and parent relationships. Mr. Brooks’ experiences provide him with a strong understanding of academic, vocational, social and life skills programs. By championing Special Olympics, building specialized inhouse programs, addressing student mental health needs, and establishing a thriving integrated preschool, Mr. Brooks has shown his commitment to creating a sense of community for every child, educator and parent.
Mr. Brooks also comes to Newburyport with extensive experience with the technical and operational challenges of special education. He has over 10 years of experience as a special education director for Chelmsford Public Schools, and most recently, for the North Middlesex Regional School District. We are excited about his ideas for budget management, policy development, staff retention, and grant management. He is well positioned to build on the strengths of NPS special education programs and address any identified concerns.
Working in partnership with the building principals, our special education team facilitation leaders, and our faculty, Mr. Brooks will begin addressing some of the challenges identified by our school community and outlined in the Successful Candidate Profile. These include assessing the district culture of special education, building effective and trusting relationships with students, parents and staff, and providing a clear vision for the department.
We are confident that under Mr. Brooks’ leadership our special education programs will grow and thrive and our students will have a strong educator advocating for their needs. Please join me in welcoming Bradley to the NPS Clipper community.
Respectfully,
Sean Gallagher