Pittsfield Superintendent of Schools Jake McCandless, seen here in the Pittsfield High graduation video, is a finalist in the Mount Greylock Regional School District.
Pittsfield Superintendent a Finalist for Mount Greylock Post
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Pittsfield Schools Superintendent Jason "Jake" McCandless is one of three candidates for the vacant superintendent position in the Mount Greylock Regional School District.
The School Committee on Wednesday heard a report from the CEO of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, which vetted the 22 qualified candidates who submitted applications for the post and narrowed the field down to three finalists.
McCandless is joined by Portia S. Bonner and Mary Jane Rickson. All three will be interviewed over the next two days with the School Committee hoping to vote on a final decision and offer the position to its selection on Friday afternoon.
McCandless has helmed the Pittsfield Public Schools since 2013, when he was hired by the city school district after 11 years in the Lee Public Schools. He indicated last year that he was looking to "make a change" and had applied for several posts.
Bonner currently also is a candidate for the superintendent of Martin County, Fla., public schools, according to the Treasure Coast Newspapers of Port St. Lucie, Fla. The paper identified Bonner as an education consultant who served as superintendent of the East Haven, Conn., Public Schools from 2013-17. The Marin County School Board has announced its plans to make its decision in September.
MASC's Liz Lafond said Bonner has more than 26 years of experience in public education, "including time spent as a teacher, department chair, assistant superintendent and as a superintendent in both Massachusetts and Connecticut."
The Greenfield Recorder reported in Februrary that Rickson was a finalist to be the superintendent in Orange. She most recently was interim superintendent of the Maynard Public Schools.
Rickson has 30 years of public education experience, "with seven of those years spent in a regional vocational district and experience as a school committee member, teacher, dean of students, assistant principal, special education administrator and superintendent."
McCandless has worked in public education for more than 27 years as a teacher, department chair, assistant principal and a superintendent for 15 years.
MASC CEO Glenn Koocher and Lafond, who were authorized by the School Committee to provide up to five finalists, were enthusiastic about the quality of the finalists they brought forward.
Lafond said MASC reviewed the applicant pool with an eye toward finding candidates who could hit the ground running as the district prepares to begin the school year in the middle of a global pandemic.
"We have vetted these candidates in the past over the years, and we are familiar with them," Koocher said. "If there are any specific questions people would like to pose, either individually to us or as a committee, we'd be happy to answer them.
"As with all candidates, there are elements of the background qualifications that may trigger questions and inquiries, and in some of those cases, it might be helpful for us to explain to you individually what those responses might be. … All three had highly credible references from reliable individuals, and I don't believe there's anything here that is going to be an impediment or an embarrassment to them or the School Committee."
School Committee member Carolyn Greene, a veteran of two prior superintendent searches in the district, said she appreciated the fact that all three of the finalists have prior experience as superintendents.
"They were all very excited, and they all spoke about the qualities of the district and the work that's been done," Lafond said. "It sounds to me, like a superintendent would do, they've already begun to do research."
Members of the public will have the opportunity to "meet" each of the candidates in a half-hour long virtual "meet and greet" session prior to his or her 75-minute interview with the School Committee.
• Rickson's public meet and greet will be held Thursday from 3 to 3:30 p.m., with an interview with the committee to follow at 3:35.
• McCandless' meet and greet is Thursday from 5 to 5:30 p.m. with an interview at 5:35.
• Bonner's meet and greet is scheduled from 10:30 to 11 a.m. on Friday with an interview at 11:05.
School Committee Chair Christina Conry said she would send an email to the school community on Wednesday evening with the schedule. Links to the meet and greets and public interviews should be available on the district's website.
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Williamstown's 1896 House Back Before Board of Health on Electrical Issue
By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The months-long conversation between the owners of the 1896 House and the Board of Health finally may be coming to a close … at least on one front.
On Monday morning, at a special meeting of the board, it reaffirmed an order to correct electrical deficiencies at the Brookside motel but heard that order could be lifted by the middle of this week.
The '6 House Pub, also owned by the Oring family at the same property, remains under a boil water order under the jurisdiction of the town's health department.
But the last remaining electrical issue — upgrading the motel's service to 400 amps — triggered the town's building commissioner to suspend the certificate of occupancy for the 16-room motel on the east side of Route 7.
That problem could be repaired as soon as Tuesday.
"My last conversation with [the electrician on site] Friday evening was he'd be done [Tuesday], and I'm scheduled to inspect the service," Electrical Inspector Joe Beverly told the board on Monday.
Beverly and Building Commissioner Ryan Contenta attended Monday's meeting, as did one of the property's owners, Michael Oring, who attended virtually, and Zach Oring, who manages the property.
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Joe Bergeron was at Town Hall to talk about the middle-high school's participation in the U.S. Department of Justice's SPIRIT program and a districtwide assessment of its process for responding to incidents of bias and bullying. click for more