UPDATED, March 31: John Danizio, finance director of Winchester Public Schools, is the choice of the superintendent and a subcommittee to be the schools’ next chief financial officer, and the School Committee agreed Thursday, March 30, voting, 7-0, to accept the candidate.
Danizio, who has been in Winchester since 2009, was the lone candidate whom the School Committee interviewed publicly. He has been recommended by Superintendent Kathleen Bodie and a school search committee among three finalists.
Asked what attracted him to the CFO position here, he wrote March 29: “When I first heard about the opening, I started doing a little research on Arlington. As I continued to review more information, the more the appealing the position became.
“Originally, Arlington piqued my interest because this role would afford me the ability to work in a larger district with greater enrollment, a bigger budget and of course the location (I live in Woburn).
‘Exciting time’
“It wasn’t until I dug a little deeper that I began to realize what an exciting time this is for the Arlington Public Schools. The budget complexities, unprecedented enrollment growth, and multiple ongoing planned and potential building projects are what really sealed the deal.
“As I progressed through the interview process and got to meet with more administrators and staff it really solidified my belief that this job was a great match for my skill set. I am very excited for the opportunity. I look forward to continuing the process and hopefully becoming a member of the Arlington team.”
The steps to hire Danizio include a majority vote from School Committee and successful negotiations of his contract.
If hired, Danizio would replace former CFO Diane Johnson, who left in February for a similar position at the Dr. Franklin Perkins School, a special-needs facility in Lancaster. Johnson had been CFO since 2009.
Background
While in Winchester, the 1997 Bentley College graduate has supervised all functions of the business office, including accounts payable, payroll, benefits, grants, transportation, food service, procurement, technology and building maintenance. He has directed the budget process.
Danizio’s resume says he knows many issues that Arlington schools are dealing with, including high special-education costs and increasing enrollment.
Before his Winchester job, he was the business administrator for the Salem Public Schools from November 2007 to September 2009.
From September 2004 to November 2007, he was deputy auditor for the City of Woburn, supervising daily accounting for a budget topping $100 million.
Out of college, from December 1998 to September 2004, he was controller and director of operations for Source Technology of Waltham, managing all accounting functions for the $26 million company.
Under 1993 education reform, a superintendent has the right to choose a CFO, and the School Committee may approve or disapprove the choice.
Under Chapter 71, Section 41, a School Committee may award a contract to a superintendent of schools or a school business administrator for periods not exceeding six years.
Committee member Kirsi Allison-Ampe served on the search committee and recommended hiring Danizio.
This news summary was published Wednesday, March 29, 2017, and updated March 31.
