Greenfield Schools to seek interim superintendent

Greenfield Superintendent of Schools Karin Patenaude shakes hands with student Mason Martin at a meet and greet event held at the Greenfield Public Library last year. PHOTO BY ANTHONY CAMMALLERI
Published: 06-02-2025 3:30 PM |
GREENFIELD — One week after Superintendent Karin Patenaude announced her resignation, effective July 3, the School Committee voted to begin its search for an interim superintendent.
School Committee members joined Patenaude and Massachusetts Association of School Committees Field Director Liz Lafond at a special meeting Friday morning to discuss next steps. Mentioning that the district is “in a really tight spot,” needing to fill the role in roughly a month, Lafond suggested that the committee prioritize interim candidates who are already working within the district.
“This is not a great place for you to be in. You would like an experienced person to come in [as superintendent] and keep things moving for certain,” Lafond said. “You’re in a really tight spot here and it’s time to really assess what you need going forward … ideally it’s someone from inside.”
Patenaude, who joined the district less than a year ago, announced her resignation in an email sent to parents and school district staff on May 23.
Although she did not disclose her reason for parting with the district and declined to be interviewed by the Recorder, Patenaude’s resignation came only days after City Council voted to level-fund the School Department for fiscal year 2026, denying the department’s requested $1.89 million budget increase.
“I wish it hadn’t come to this, but I think all of you realize how it has. I appreciate the school community for their support and their outreach and I will continue to be the professional I always have been and support in the transition,” Patenaude said at the special meeting. “I will continue to complete my professional responsibilities through my end date … and will assist in any way, shape and form to ensure that this School Committee, as well as this school district, is stable.”
Explaining the hiring process for an interim superintendent, Lafond explained that MASC will help School Committee Chair Glenn Johnson-Mussad create a posting for the position, after which the candidate pool will be brought before the committee for a series of interviews.
Lafond, presenting a sample job posting for the position, explained that some of the qualifications necessary for the role include holding a masters or advanced degree in a relevant field and having 10 years of experience in Massachusetts public education, including three to five years working in a central office or administrative position.
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The position, Lafond added, will pay an annual salary of $155,000 to $175,000. School Committee members, prior to their vote to begin the interim selection process, agreed that Greenfield Education Association members should play a role in the selection process.
“I don’t see you getting a large number of candidates … but if you were able to get three retired folks with superintendent experience right now, you’d be sitting in a very good position, just to be brutally honest with you,” Lafond said. “You’re in a tough situation here, this time of year.”
School Committee member Melodie Goodwin proposed the option of recruiting principals, such as Newton School Principal Carol Jacobs, for the interim position. However, Johnson-Mussad noted that this would also create the task of replacing one of the district’s elementary school principals.
Johnson-Mussad also warned that future conflict between city officials and School Department leaders will discourage qualified candidates from working in the district. Laford, who is also working with the Gill-Montague Regional School District to replace Superintendent Brian Beck, echoed the chair’s remarks.
“The way that we treat leaders in this district will make a difference in terms of who we’re able to retain,” Johnson-Mussad said. “If you have disagreements or if you have questions about a superintendent’s budget or about their process, that you ask those questions in a respectful manner … it matters the way city councilors treat the superintendent, the way the mayor treats the superintendent, the way School Committee members treat the superintendent.”
Anthony Cammalleri can be reached at acammalleri@recorder.com or 413-930-4429.