New Business Director Appointed After Protracted Search

The School Committee voted unanimously at their May 8 meeting to appoint Jared Stanton as the District's new Director of Business and Finance. Stanton will replace Jerry Martin who is retiring at the end of the school year. The appointment follows a relatively protracted process during which the initial screening failed to produce a clear choice.

Superintendent of Schools Anthony Bent told School Committee members that the District received 24 applications for the position and a screening committee chose six to interview. Following interviews, the screening committee could not reach a consensus on any ocandidate. Bent noted that despite the initial impasse, it was decided to redouble the effort and solicit more names.

From this effort Stanton was the screening committee's clear choice and Bent recommended his candidacy to the School Committee. Bent said the screening committee was unanimous in their choice and they had gotten a clearer picture of his candidacy from the five or six references provided. "He has a good baseline knowledge...and would work well with municipal officials," Bent said.

Bent also recommended that outgoing Director Jerry Martin mentor Stanton during the upcoming 2013-2014 school year which will include the budgeting process next winter and spring. Bent believes that such mentoring will ensure a smoother transition and not be too disruptive of the budgeting process for fiscal 2015. School Committee members agreed and voted unanimously to appoint Stanton. The School Committee also agreed to contract with Martin to mentor Stanton for the next school year. Stanton will begin July 15 and receive a salary of $90,000.