New KP Superintendent Coming On Board

The King Philip School Committee voted 6-1 to offer the position of Su­perintendent to Elizabeth Ann Teahan-Zielinski, above, pending aback­ground check, a check of her references, and successful negotiation of a contract. Photo by Matt McDonald King Philip’s presumptive new su­perintendent said she plans not only to invite people into the schools but to go out and meet people where they’re at.

“You have to go out into the com­munity. It’s not always about bringing them in,” said Elizabeth Ann Teahan-Zielinski during her interview with the King Philip School Committee this past Wednesday night. The School Committee voted 6-1 later that night to offer Zielinski the job, pending a background check, a check of her references, and successful negotia­tion of a contract.

Zielinski is currently assistant su­perintendent of the Quaboag Regional School District, which serves the Worces­ter County towns of Warren and West Brookfield. Her lively interview with the King Philip School Committee seems to be what landed her the job, as committee members reacted positively to what she had to say.

Some observers thought going into the meeting that the committee would reject both remaining candidates after the only finalist with experience as a su­perintendent,

Edward Costa, withdrew earlier this week after getting the super­intendent’s job in Lenox in western Mas­sachusetts. But Zielinski clearly impressed most of the School Committee members with her engaging style. Earlier in the evening the School Committee interviewed Katherine Schei­dler, director of curriculum and grants for Monson Public Schools in south cen­tral Massachusetts. Committee members had a few favorable things to say about Scheidler’s abilities afterward, but over­all her interview fell flat. The King Philip Regional School District serves grades 7 through 12 in Norfolk, Wrentham, and Plainville. It includes what the district calls a middle school of grades 7 through 8, in Norfolk; and a grades-9-through-12 high school in Wrentham.

Assuming the School Committee ce­ments a deal with Zielinski, she will re­place Richard Robbat, who is leaving as superintendent after seven years run­ning

King Philip. Robbat formally retired June 30, 2009, but has been serving this school year as interim superintendent without receiving a salary. It’s not clear when Zielinski would take over. Robbat has told the School Committee he would be willing to leave King Philip before the end of the fis­cal year June 30 if committee members wish. Earlier in the process Costa, a former East Longmeadow superintendent, had appeared to be the early favorite to re­place

Robbat, at least partly because he was the only one of the three candidates with past experience running a school district. Zielinski openly stumped for the King Philip job during her interview Wednes­day night, saying she was excited about the prospect of becoming superintendent there after spending the day in the school district talking with teachers, adminis­trators, students, and parents. “This is a place that really believes in their kids, wants what’s best for their kids … and that to me is a good match,” Zielinski said. “…“There is a strong com­mitment

that is evident with students and teachers in this district.”

Zielinski has experience as a teach­er, a principal, and a central office staff member. She has developed curriculum, applied for grants, and has run a special education program. She earned a doctorate in education from Boston College in 2005. As for her management style Zielinski promised open communication with the School Committee. “It needs to be happening all the time,” Zielinski said. “The School Committee needs to know when something’s happening,” Zie­linski said. “… I’m a no-surprises girl.” She said she also plans to update the public on vital events at King Philip. KP administrators have taken some criticism in the past for not announcing some inci­dents in the school, such as bomb scares. “The superintendent really needs to keep the community informed … so peo­ple know what’s happening,” Zielinski said.

King Philip officials occasionally ex­press frustration with the amount of funding the regional school system gets, arguing that it often ends up a poor sister of the local elementary school districts. Each town in the King Philip regional dis­trict runs its own kindergarten-through-sixth-grade school system. Zielinski said she would advocate for funding for the King Philip before the towns’ finance committees and se­lectmen while keeping in mind that the towns have other needs, too. “There is one pie, and you know the students deserve the biggest piece of the pie,” Zielinski said.

During the last few years King Philip officials have periodically made attempts at improving the school district’s public relations, with mixed results. Zielinski said the efforts need to continue.

“I don’t know if the community really knows the wonderful, wonderful things you do in the community for kids,” Zie­linski said. She said she hopes that within fiveyears, “people not only know about KP, but they are touting KP.” “You have what it takes to get there,” she said. The way to get there, she said, is to bring the regional schools to the heart of the towns they serve. “It’s not just about winning some of the games. … It’s about creating that cul­ture where the schools are the center of the community,” Zielinski said. Zielinski, who lives in Ludlow in western Massachusetts, said she plans to move to either Norfolk, Wrentham, or Plainville, because superintendent is a round-the-clock job.

She said she is involved in commu­nity theater near where she currently lives, and that she plans to be visible in this area.

“I tend to be involved in the commu­nity,” Zielinski said. “… “In the role of superintendent, I become a part of the community.”

School Committee members dis­cussed both candidates a short while after Zielinski’s interview, and Zielinski clearly impressed most of them. “I appreciate the way she anticipates collaboration should be with the School Committee,” said Charlene McEntee, a King Philip School Committee member from Plainville. “She may not have the experience, but I believe she has the drive, and she would be a good fitfor King Philip at this point.” “I liked her, and I was very impressed with her. I think she’s dynamic, and I thought she brought posi­tive energy. It looks like she has very good people skills,” said Anna Tupper, a King Philip School Com­mittee member from Wrentham.

Some committee members noted that while Zie­linski has experience with special education and grant writing, she is light on experience putting together a large budget. But supporters said she is likely to grow into the job.

“I think one of the concerns that people might have is her ability to jump from assistant superintendent, SPED director, and the other hats she was wearing, to the superintendent’s position,” said Pat Francomano, a King Philip School Committee member from Plain­ville. But he said he was impressed by the praise she got from a former superintendent with plenty of experi­ence.

“And he really gave her an unqualified recommen­dation,” Francomano said.

Before the vote, Francomano noted that both Zie­linski and Scheidler lack experience in some skills a superintendent needs. “Am I concerned that either candidate is going to have to make … a huge jump from their current po­sition to the position of superintendent? Absolutely,” Francomano said. But based on Zielinski’s interview, he said he she seems capable of making that jump. “Am I sure? No. It’s a roll of the dice. Any hire you make is a roll of the dice,” Francomano said. Maureen Howard, chairman of the King Philip School Committee and a Norfolk resident, noted that in Costa the School Committee had a proven leader. For the other two candidates, she said, “That learning curve seemed a little big.”

But Howard voted for Zielinski. Wendy Wagner Robeson was the lone holdout against Zielinski.

“I was totally underwhelmed with the site visit,” Robeson said, referring to her visit to the Quaboag school district where Zielinski works. Robeson noted that Zielinski lacks district-wide budget experience. Robeson also said she was looking for someone who visible in her community. “Did not get that in the site visit,” Robeson said, adding that people she talked to said they know Zielin­ski only from her work in the schools. “No one said they saw her at the football game,” Robeson said.

“But that’s not the type of position that she’s in,” re­sponded Francomano. “… My guess is if she were still a building principal, we would be getting a different answer.”

Only seven of the nine King Philip School Commit­tee members attended the committee meeting Wednes­day, and one of those, Kim Carr of Wrentham, missed 25 minutes of the first interview, with Scheidler, which lasted 62 minutes.

Howard, the School Committee chairman, said Carr and committee members Matt Gray (of Wren­tham) and Bob Chipman (of Plainville) had unavoid­able conflicts.

The School Committee had no reports of conversa­tions with the references Zielinski provided, because Gray and Chipman had been assigned that task and had been unable to reach the references, Howard said. That appeared for a moment to delay the selection of Zielinski when committee member Tupper noted that checking the references is a vital part of most hir­ing processes. The possible delay led to some conster­nation on the committee. “It embarrasses me as a district. … This is not the way we should be doing business, and shame on us,” Francomano said. But the committee decided after some discussion to offer Zielinski the job on several contingencies, includ­ing a check of her references as well as a background check and successful negotiation of a contract. Howard said Gray and Chipman don’t deserve heat for not contacting Zielinski’s references, saying that they made an attempt and that she was of the opinion the references could be checked either before the com­mittee selected a candidate or afterward during the pe­riod of contract negotiations, since the decision isn’t final until a contract is signed.

Elizabeth Ann Teahan-Zielinski

Work Experience

Teacher Diocese of Springfield 1989-1990

(Grades 7 and 8)

Teacher West Springfield Public Schools 1990-1994

(Grade 6)

Vice Principal

Ware Public Schools 1994-1996

Principal

Chicopee Public Schools 1996-2003

School Support Specialist Massachusetts Department of Education

/ Holyoke Public Schools

2003-2006

Director of Curriculum Quaboag Regional School District,

Warren

2006-2008

Assistant Superintendent Quaboag Regional School District,

Warren

2008-Present

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Education

Cathedral High School, Springfield 1984

Our Lady of the Elms College, Chicopee 1988

(Bachelor of Arts)

Lesley College, Cambridge

1991 (Master’s Degree in Education)

Boston College, Newton

2005 (Doctorate in Education)