School Committee Chairman Jeffrey Lord said the district "is very lucky" to have Dardenne as its superintendent.
Patrice DardenneMONSON - The School Committee recently completed its annual evaluation of Superintendent Patrice L. Dardenne, who received some of his highest marks in budget management and lowest in communications and public relations.
"We're a tough crowd," School Committee Chairman Jeffrey D. Lord said on Friday.
In a written statement, Lord wrote that the committee believes the school district "is very lucky" to have Dardenne, who came to the district two years ago. Despite budget constraints, Dardenne has worked effectively, and found ways to improve the schools, Lord wrote.
He was rated on a scale of one to five: one, unsatisfactory; two, needs improvement; three, achieves all requirements in a satisfactory manner; four, consistently exceeds requirements; and five, exceptional performance. His average rating was 3.9.
He was rated in seven categories: relationship with the School Committee, educational leadership, general management, budget management, personnel management, communications and public relations, and personal qualities and characteristics. He received all 4s in budget management.
Wrote committee member Holly Battige, "To the best of his ability, taking the economy into consideration, Mr. (Dardenne) manages the budget appropriately."
Dardenne received some low scores from former Committee Chairman Edward A. Maia in the communications-public relations category, including a 1 in the subcategory "encourages open communication with staff, administrators, community representatives and School Committee members," and a 2 in "maintains community respect and support for the school district." Maia said this was the main area that Dardenne had to improve.
Battige added, "Generally, public opinion has been low in regards to Mr. Dardenne's overall demeanor toward the general public. This has improved greatly over the past year after it was brought to his attention."
Committee member Joel Farber wrote that Dardenne's "reception by the community at large has been challenged by budget and issues of change which can create tension, leaving him to manage that tension."
Maia also criticized Dardenne in the educational leadership category, saying he felt his collaboration with staff could be better, and cited the proposal to move the eighth grade from the middle school to the high school, a plan that was later abandoned after numerous residents spoke out against it.
In "personal qualities," Maia gave Dardenne a 5 in the subcategory of "maintains high standards of ethics, honesty and integrity in personal and professional matters at all times."
Lord, in a follow-up interview, said Dardenne is the best superintendent Monson has had in years. Lord said the School Committee also must do a better job of following up on the goals that are set for Dardenne.
Dardenne said he is pleased with the evaluation's results.
"It's a positive evaluation and we continue to try and work to make things better here," Dardenne said.