Sentinel & Enterprise

Search is on for ‘small schools’ head

By Lisa Guerriero

Tuesday, April 20, 2004 - LEOMINSTER -- Leominster High School's principal plans to begin interviewing candidates this month for the school's new headmaster position.

The headmaster will supervise LHS's pilot small schools program, which is slated to begin this fall.

The position was posted internally April 13 and will be open for two weeks, said Principal Dr. William Hart.

"I think it's a great opportunity," Hart said.

The pilot program will consist of 250 to 350 students and 18 teachers -- all volunteers -- who will spend core academic classes in the A-wing of the school.

Teachers will work in small "critical friends" groups during the school day to share education strategies and techniques.

The aim is to give students a sense of belonging and responsibility and create a better learning community, Hart said.

The headmaster will report to Hart.

"It's their small school -- they're responsible for it," Hart said. "They should understand and have a clear vision of what that would look like. Their job is to work with the faculty, parents and students."

Hart said the salary has not yet been determined, because it is a union position.

He said the school district will pay for about half of the headmaster's salary, along with money from a federal grant for small learning communities.

The grant is $500,000 and it is administered over three years.

Hart said he hopes parents, teachers and one or two students will participate in the interview process.

LHS recently mailed parents a list of the teachers participating in small schools.

Sue Monteiro, a parent who supported the original building-wide small schools proposal, said she and her husband have been discussing the program with their children.

Monteiro said her children have been thumbing through the three-page document, figuring out which teachers they might have next year.

"We have not decided yet as a family, but I would have to say we're strongly leaning toward going into small schools," Monteiro said.

Monteiro said she would like to be involved in the selection process for the headmaster.

"The headmaster is a pretty important figure," she said.

Superintendent of Schools Marilyn Fratturelli will have to approve the selection, Hart said.

He hopes to fill the position in the next few weeks and have a headmaster in place by this summer.