UPDATE: Superintendent says search was conducted

The Ottoson principal is among nearly 100 retired school leaders in Massachusetts who were paid full salaries while collecting pensions in the past  school year, The Boston Globe reported June 28 in a page-one story. Judith Malone-Neville was paid $196,700, including a Newton pension of $102,700, the Globe says.

The story focuses on the alleged lack of effort by local districts to advertise for replacement leaders and notes a growing practice that critics call state-sanctioned "double dipping."

The Globe story does not document efforts Arlington made to find a replacement for Malone-Neville while she served as interim principal following the dismissal  last August of Principal Stavroula Bouris.

YourArlington sought comment June 28, and Superintendent Nate Levenson responded July 1:

"The district posted the position internally and engaged a search firm to find experienced candidates ready and able to step into leadership.  The Department of Education concluded that we had made a good-faith effort and granted the waiver.

"Principal Malone-Neville has done an outstanding job this year.  She has maintained a calm, productive learning environment and has provided strong leadership as the Ottoson moves from good to great."

YourArlington has followed up. by asking July 1 who conducted the search, over what period and how many candidates were identified.

According to feedback from Ottoson parents, Malone-Neville, who will continue as principal in 2008-09, has performed in an outstanding way at Ottoson.

For example, Annie LaCourt wrote to the Arlington e-mail list June 28:

"Ms. Malone-Neville was the principal at the middle school in Newton that lost 4 students in a bus accident a few years ago. She had retired and was persuaded to come out of retirement and take the position at the Ottoson on short notice.

"She was a particularly desirable person to have as a principal there because she had seen one school community thru healing after a trauma already. She had agreed to be an interim for one year. I believe she has agreed to stay on another year.

"As a parent of a child at the middle school, I have been very pleased with her performance and I was glad to see that she decided to stay on another year as I believe we need both her skills and the stability. The principal's job is not one that no one wants -- we have not yet conducted a search."

One person has commented on this article.

 1. Your comments ...
Bob Sprague, Super Administrator

... about this story are welcome, but to have them published, you must provide your real name. Thank you.

Bob Sprague

 Posted 2008-06-28 12:28:48

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