Ruthless?

By DAVID RAINVILLE
Recorder Staff

Wednesday, April 1, 2015
(Published in print: Thursday, April 2, 2015)

   

NORTHFIELD — And then there were two.

Two candidates remain in the search for a new superintendent of the Pioneer Valley Regional School District, now that two others have dropped out of the running.

The public will have a chance to meet the final candidate, Ruth Miller, at 6:30 tonight at Pioneer.

Miller is superintendent of Narragansett Regional School District, which serves Templeton and Phillipston. She’s held that position for three years, and was associate superintendent for three years before that. She has also served as principal for 10 years, and held other educational jobs for five years. Her district covers Templeton and Phillipston, with three elementary schools, a middle school and high school.

On Tuesday, the committee interviewed Francis Baran, superintendent of the Woodstock, Conn., public schools. Baran has been an educator for 42 years, including 12 years as superintendent, 18 years as principal and 12 years as a teacher. Her one-town district has an enrollment of 1,350 in three schools — a Pre-K-4 elementary school, grade 5-8 middle school and a high school.

  

Baran visited Pioneer schools before being an interview and meet-and-greet. Miller is scheduled to visit the district today before a 5:30 p.m. interview.

Douglas Dias, principal of Medway High School, is out of the running after he was offered a position as superintendent of the Williamstown-Lanesboro Public Schools. Another candidate was picked as a finalist, but withdrew and will not be named.

The School Committee considered 15 applicants before picking four finalists. Whoever is chosen will replace Dayle Doiron, who has worked in the district for 22 years, and became superintendent in 2008. Last fall, Doiron announced that she would leave at the end of the school year.

You can reach David Rainville at: drainville@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 279 On Twitter, follow

Jeff Bennett