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Hartford Schools Plan For When Superintendent Leaves

Board will likely look internally first for his replacement

Jeff Cohen

October 18, 2010

Hartford school superintendent Steven Adamowski is planning to leave the district at the end of this school year, after roughly five years on the job. On Tuesday, the board of education is scheduled to vote on a policy spelling out how to pick Adamowski’s successor. WNPR’s Jeff Cohen reports.

Adamowski came to Hartford in 2006 and his contract expires in February. He’s made improving student test scores and raising graduation rates a priority. The question now is this -- Who will take over once he leaves?

If the policy now before the board is approved, the district would first look internally for Adamowski’s replacement. A traditional search including candidates from outside the district would only begin if the board of education decides there is no qualified internal candidate.

Jim Starr runs Achieve Hartford!, an organization of business and community leaders that watches education in the city with an eye on long-term reform. Starr says that choosing a superintendent from within makes sense.

“Particularly in Hartford where you have a reform effort that’s demonstrating results and you have a team in place that’s delivered on that result over three years -- it certainly seems reasonable to look internal first. And if you find somebody that meets the criteria and attributes that are laid out for an effective superintendent, that’s certainly a good place to start.”

The search committee for the new superintendent would include a parent, a teacher, an administrator, and a member of the community.

Neither Adamowski nor Board Chairwoman Ada Miranda could be reached for comment.

Also before the board at its meeting this week will be an extension of Adamowski’s contract through the end of the school year. The board says the point of the extension would be to provide for an orderly transition between superintendents.