Kathleen Lockyer, interim director for special education, has agreed to serve for another year in that role after the second search in two years for a permanent head has hit a roadblock.
Superintendent Kathleen Bodie said three finalists were chosen, two of them withdrew and she recommended one to the School Committee.
Debra Bromfield withdrew when her name was announced as a finalist, saying she wanted to remain in Canton.
The remaining two finalists, John Tiano of Pentucket and Marisa McCarthy of Attleboro were interviewed. The School Committee, which is the appointing authority for a permanent director, offered the position to McCarthy, who was an interim director in Attleboro. Attleboro was conducting a full search for its special-education director, but abandoned their search and offered Marisa the permanent job, and McCarthy withdrew.
The School Committee did not make an offer to Tiano.
Beverly Shea, director of pupil personnel services, was interviewed in March. When she didn’t receive an immediate offer from Arlington, she withdrew her candidacy.
Lockyer retired from her last position, in Watertown, so approval for her to continue requires a waiver from the state.
The search for a permanent special-education director will resume in the fall, Bodie told the School Committee on Thursday, April 11.
She said it is important to have a permanent director in the light of a major administrative restructuring of special-education services set for the next school year.
Mark Ryder, who directed the department for three years, announced he was leaving in March 2011 for a nonprofit in Maine. He was paid $110,000 a year.
Plans for a search for a full-time director were announced in November 2011.
The first search, in early 2012, was unsuccessful — a situation that led to criticism from SEPAC, the parent group that represents special-education interests.
A story last April titled “Failed special-ed search sparks more questions — and an appeal to consider limited pool” reported, “As a special-education group says Arlington is missing out because its search for a top administrator has failed, Superintendent Kathleen Bodie expressed frustration about the limited pool of candidates squeezed by 17 districts seeking heads of special ed.”
The first search for a director of special education began in December 2011, initially drew few applications and was extended a month.
Bodie noted that the three finalists had toured the schools in March 2012 and met the public, but their names were not released.
Thompson update
In other news, Bodie told the committee that the date for substantial completion of the Thompson School has been moved from June 28 to July 12.
She said the Thompson Building Committee agreed with the pleas of the contractor to move the date after the flooring company said it needed extra time for the HVAC system to be working.
Plans continue for the $20 million rebuilt school to open in September.
This story was first published Tuesday, April 16, 2013.
