A former superintendent for Bridgeport Public Schools will lead the Oxford school district starting Monday.
The Oxford Board of Education Tuesday night appointed James A. Connelly, of Shelton, as the district’s interim superintendent.
Connelly will be paid $600 a day. His contract will run until no later than Dec. 31, 2010, but could end earlier if a new superintendent is found before then.
Connelly will take over for Judith Palmer, who will leave the district this week for a job at the Region 7 district in Winsted.
“He has helped school districts in very difficult situations,” Board of Education chairwoman Rose McKinnon said. “He has a background in special education. We’re lucky to have found him in the time frame we needed.”
Connelly said his first task is to help make sure the schools have a smooth opening.
“I have to make sure the district facilities are ready for them, they have fully staffed classrooms, have adequate supplies and resources,” Connelly said Tuesday night, when reached by phone after the vote.
Beyond that, Connelly said he will provide whatever leadership is needed, including reviewing test scores from the 2009 CAPT and CMTs.
“My major goal is to really give the Oxford school district some stability and strong leadership while they search for a permanent superintendent,” Connelly said.
Background
Connelly’s early career was as a special education teacher in Ridgefield, Greenwich and Fairfield during the 1960s, according to his resume. By 1981, he had become the superintendent of Bridgeport Public Schools.
Connelly served as the superintendent in Bridgeport until he retired in 2000, his resume states.
Since that time, Connelly has been an educational consultant helping districts conduct superintendent searches.
He has also served as interim superintendent at seven different districts, including Putnam, Woodbridge and Region 16 in Beacon Falls and Prospect.
McKinnon said she called all Connelly’s references, who “raved about him.”
Other Candidates
There were three candidates for the interim position. One backed out at the last minute because of a family issue, McKinnon said.
The other candidate was only available part time, when the district needed a full-time person.
Interim superintendents can serve no more than 45 percent of a school year or 99 days, according to Ted Oczkowski, a member of the Oxford Board of Education and the chairman of the search committee that recommended Connelly.
The board still needs to find a permanent superintendent.
A new search committee, which includes Connelly and members of the teachers and administrator’s union, will be formed soon to start the search, McKinnon said.
Palmer’s Departure
Palmer notified the Board of Education last week that she was leaving.
Her departure followed controversy over Palmer’s contract and evaluations.
Palmer’s contract was voided by the Board of Education in May. The board put off signing a new one for three months. Instead they extended her employment with the same provisions.
The latest extension would have ended this week.
Supporters of Palmer rallied around her, claiming the voided contract was a ploy to get her out of the job.
But Board of Education members who voted for the measure have maintained they were acting on their attorney’s advice that the contact was not legally worded.
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The school board was in the process of completing Palmer’s annual evaluation when they found out she was leaving for another district, McKinnon said.
Now that review likely won’t be completed, McKinnon said.
That’s because Palmer has indicated she wants to waive her right to a board evaluation, McKinnon said.
She said she is waiting for a written notification of the evaluation waiver.
Palmer was unable to be reached for comment.
