(From an article I wrote for "Marshfield Neighbors" magazine)
I want to send a heartfelt thank you to the entire Marshfield community. For nine years, you have embraced me as your Superintendent and I have had the pleasure, and honor, of working on behalf of the students, staff and families of this wonderful town. At the end of June, I will be retiring after 33 years in public education and I am one of the lucky ones who can say that I was able to do everything I set out to do as an educator.
In eight school districts across eastern Massachusetts, I’ve worked as a substitute teacher, a classroom teacher, an athletic director, a transportation coordinator, a vice principal, a principal, an assistant superintendent, an interim superintendent, and as a superintendent of schools. I spent time teaching in one of the smallest districts in the state as well as leading one of the largest regional high schools in the Commonwealth. I was truly blessed to always be surrounded by dedicated and caring individuals, who always wanted the best for their students.
As the superintendent in Marshfield I was fortunate to always have a strong and supportive School Committee to work with. They truly understood what our students and staff needed to be successful and they did all they could to make sure they had the appropriate resources. My leadership team was littered with talented educators and professionals who brought so much knowledge to the table and they fought tirelessly to meet the needs of every student, every day. And I could not do what I did over the last nine years without having two of the greatest Executive Assistants by my side; Joanie Pozerski and Ruthann Despier.
My favorite part of every school day was when I was able to visit classrooms across the district and watch, first-hand, as our amazing teachers and support staff worked their magic with the students of Marshfield. They taught, they counseled, they supported. Their job was to meet the needs of our students and they took ownership of that responsibility every day.
The passion and energy the staff displayed in the classroom was always matched by the curiosity, excitement and drive that our students brought when they traveled from grade to grade. Marshfield students are smart, hard working, caring, polite, compassionate and embrace their role in the classroom. They make me smile whenever I am in their schools and I will miss them greatly.
I also want to thank our parents and guardians who entrusted their children to us on a daily basis. They are fierce advocates for their children and when asked to, they always step up to support the schools in a number of ways. I’ve seen very few districts that can match the spirit of unity in this learning community and that is testament to these amazing families.
The thanks could go on and on. Beyond the school community, I have forged lasting relationships with town leaders, elected representatives, safety officials and business owners. As I noted, Marshfield is a special community and I am the lucky one who was able to serve as its Superintendent over the past nine years. Thank you. #WeRMarshfield
