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February 9, 2010

Farmer vows local focus despite Andover job bid

By Patrick Anderson

Schools Superintendent Christopher Farmer told school staff and local officials in an e-mail last week that all of his professional attention and energy will be focused on Gloucester as long as he is employed here, even as he pursues becoming the new leader of the Andover public school system.

"Be confident that Gloucester will continue to engage 100 percent of my attention and efforts for however long I continue to serve the city," Farmer said in an e-mail under the subject line "no surprises." The message alerted its recipients to the fact that would be named a finalist for the Andover job — as he was on Monday night.

As for why he is exploring new opportunities, Farmer wrote that the Andover system serves over 6,000 students, "is very well supported by the community" and their superintendents are "well compensated."

Farmer is one of four finalists for the Andover job and is competing against candidates with experience in that system — including a current assistant superintendent and the superintendent of the Hamilton-Wenham school district, who is a former Andover administrator.

"The outcome is uncertain and I may not be successful," the e-mail went on. "Successful or not, I want you to know that I am very proud to serve as your superintendent, and of the district's accomplishments — essentially the result of your commitment and efforts in the face of dwindling resources and rising expectations."

Farmer, who has been superintendent in Gloucester for the last seven years, enters the job market at a time of high demand for school chief executives.

If Farmer heads for Andover, it would leave the city in a scramble to find a replacement and put it in competition with the neighboring Manchester Essex school system, which has budgeted $175,000 for a new superintendent to replace the outgoing Marcia O'Neil.

That Manchester figure is $30,000 more than Farmer is making under his current contract, which runs through the summer of 2011 and includes an automatic vesting option for a third year if the School Committee does not terminate it by August.

Although Farmer's annual $145,000 salary makes him the highest-salaried Gloucester city worker, he has been called a "bargain" among Massachusetts superintendents by former School Committee Chairman and new Ward 5 Councilor Gregory Verga.

The Andover job is offering between $180,000 and $200,000 annually.

Farmer's e-mail was sent to members of the School Committee last Friday and brought a variety of responses from city and school leaders.

"I was shocked," said Mayor Carolyn Kirk, who was elected to the School Committee the year Farmer was hired. "I will look forward to his response to the School Committee (tonight) and hope that he addresses it."

Verga, who was School Committee chairman during Farmer's last two contract extensions, said it would be a blow if Farmer left Gloucester, but not a huge surprise considering the market and Gloucester's financial struggles.

"I can't say it comes as a shock — even under the best circumstances superintendents are always keeping their options open," Verga said. "I don't think it is about the money, but the money can be a deciding factor. He has been making cuts for seven years."

School Committee Chairwoman Val Gilman, who has sparred with Farmer in the past, said she "wished him luck as a finalist," but acknowledged that his departure would "raise some concerns" about planning for a new school year and budget without a superintendent in place.

Farmer could not be reached by phone yesterday and his secretary said he was out of town.

In addition to Farmer, the finalists for the Andover job are: Kelly Clenchy, superintendent of Rural School Unit 26 in Maine; Marinel McGrath, superintendent of the Hamilton-Wenham Regional School District and Susan Nicholson, assistant superintendent in Andover since 2007.

Those finalists were chosen from 32 applicants.

Patrick Anderson can be reached at 978-283-7000, x3455, or via e-mail at panderson@gloucesteritmes.com.

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Farmer vows local focus despite Andover job bid
by By Patrick Anderson , , Tue Feb 09, 2010, 10:41 PM EST
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