Maguire to Conduct Separate Principal Searches for Elementary Schools

There are currently two elementary schools in the Medfield School District without principals – and .

While these two schools are currently under the interim leadership of two experienced and accomplished educators, the time to permanently fill these positions is rapidly approaching.

Bob Maguire, Medfield Superintendent of Schools, said he plans to begin the principal search process with the Ralph Wheelock School and once that position is filled, he will focus his attention on the Dale Street School.

“[The process] will begin this month, which basically will be based around trying to begin forming the search committee and also beginning the process of advertising [for the committee and principal position],” Maguire said.

Maguire opted for two separate searches as opposed to one for “various reasons” but none arguably more important than the attention to detail required to make the best choice of potential candidates.

“It’s about basically having the opportunity to focus on the needs of one particular school,” Maguire said.

As a result, Maguire will begin the first search at Wheelock, which is currently under the guidance of interim principal, Edward Quigley.

“We will be beginning with the Wheelock one this November with the hope of concluding it by the end of January or beginning of February,” Maguire said.

Maguire said the district won't be ready to appoint a a principal search committee until December.

“We are just getting the notices out to people now,” Maguire said. “Two School Committee members have volunteered to be on it. I got that worked out at this last meeting. I will probably be appointing the search committee probably in December. There’s a due date to get their name of interest in sometime in December.”

Maguire said the search committee will be comprised of parents, faculty, administrators, school committee members and “an at-large community member.”

The plan, according to Maguire, is to begin the Dale Street School search with a similar process at either the end of 2011 or the beginning of 2012. Dale Street is currently under the leadership of interim principal Arlene Argir.

“We will be again forming the committee and the advertising thing, where we are actually finishing up the [Wheelock hiring], hopefully,” Maguire said.

The goal is to begin interviewing candidates and the screening process by the time the Wheelock position is filled, according to Maguire.

There will be more discussion on the Medfield elementary school principal searches at the School Committee’s Nov. 21 meeting at 7:30 p.m. in the TV production classroom of the .