One finalist, Daniel Hanneken, was described as a principal in Marlborough, but minutes from a Marlborough School Committee meeting show someone else was appointed to that post in January.
NORTHAMPTON – The former principal of a Marlborough school and the superintendent of a school district in upstate New York are the finalists for the school superintendent job.
At a special meeting Monday, the School Committee announced that it will scheduled interviews for Daniel J. Hanneken, who has held administrative posts in Marlborough, Lawrence and Chelsea, and Irwin H. Sussman, a superintendent and former principal in the Hadley-Luzerne Central School System in New York.
The two finalists were selected by a screening committee from a pool of 14 applicants vying to replace Isabelina Rodriguez, who left in January to head the Granby schools.
According to School Committee Vice Chairwoman Stephanie Pick, four of those applicants were interviewed before two two finalists were selected. Former Hampshire Regional School District Superintendent William G. Erickson is filling in for Rodriguez on an interim basis.
Hanneken was described at the meting as the principal of the Whitcomb School in Marlborough, a grade 4-7 school with more than 1,400 students. However, according to the minutes from a Marlborough School Committee meeting, Mary Murphy was appointed to that post in January. Katherine H. Hennessy, a Marlborough School Committee member, confirmed that Hanneken has not been principal of the school since January but offered no explanation for his departure. He previously served as principal of the Gerard A. Guilmette School in Lawrence and assistant principal of a middle school in Chelsea. Prior to his career in education, Hanneken served in the U.S. Air Force, working with military families to help them manage their finances.
Sussman has served as superintendent of the Hadley-Luzerne Central School District since 2003. Prior to that, he was principal of the district’s high school and assistant principal of the Unatego Junior-Senior High School in Otego, N.Y. He earned his master’s degree from State University of New York and began his career in education as a social studies teacher.
Neither candidate could be reached Monday. Citing its confidentiality policy, the School Committee did not disclose their ages or other personal information.
The School Committee scheduled a meeting for March 21 to finalize the questions they plan to ask the candidates when they interview them at the end of the month. The dates for those interviews are pending. Committee members each chose a theme from which they will prepare questions for discussion at the March 21 meeting. The committee will also determine a forum for the pubic to meet the candidates.
Joseph L. Wood of the New England School Development Council, who is advising the School Committee on the search process, praised the screening committee for its professionalism and thoroughness. Wood will help coordinate the candidate interviews, which most likely will take place at the end of March. Pick said the School Committee hopes to have the new superintendent in place by July. The job was advertized at $122,000-$130,000.