New Assistant Superintendent Appointed

At the advice of Hopkinton Superintendent Jonathan Landman, the School Committee this week appointed Mary Ann DeMello to replace Mary Colombo as assistant superintendent when Colombo retires.

Landman spoke of the glowing reviews and references he received during the process of replacing Colombo. The committee voted unanimously on Thursday to approve the decision, pending successful contract negotiations.

Landman also presented his interim findings as new superintendent. 

Landman but said his research into the town and school system started well before that time.

Since the school year started, Landman has met with many people involved in the school, from parents to faculty and administrators and said he values the feedback they have given.

The presentation focused on the positives, the areas for growth, and the system's vulnerabilities.

For the positives, Landman mentioned that during all of his classroom visits the students seemed engaged and ready to learn while the teachers seemed just as excited to be teaching them.

The areas for growth included the large variance of expectations and standards that students are held to as well as the difference in the amount of homework assigned from class to class.

The two major vulnerabilities Landman recognized were the divisiveness of the , and the faculty turnover at some positions within the school district.