Harvard School Committee Seeking More Candidates for Superintendent Post

With just one candidate left, the Harvard Public Schools Committee decided today they need more before deciding who should fill its vacant superintendent position.

According to Interim Superintendent Joseph Connolly, the Committee met today at 1 p.m. and decided to try and bring in more candidates.

"They took no position on the current candidate," Connolly said, referring to Lincoln-Sudbury Superintendent Scott Carpenter, who became the only finalist left after Freetown-Lakeville Superintendent Jessica Huizenga called at 4 p.m., Monday, to withdraw for "personal reasons."

"They will try to increase the number of candidates to be considered," Connolly said, without stating how the committee plans to do that.

A call to Chairwoman SusanMary Redinger seeking comment was unsuccessful.

“I have spent two decades in high schools, and the opportunity to go to a grade K to 12 setting would involve growth,” Carpenter told the L-S school committee at a December meeting.

He said that the decision to apply for another job does not diminish his deep commitment to Lincoln-Sudbury.  

“I love Lincoln-Sudbury. It’s something I feel very at home with,” Carpenter said, describing a moment of hesitation before he hit the send button to email his application for the Harvard position. “It is sometimes a conflict between growth and where your heart is.”