Babarisi nears is ride into the sunset
Published on July 8th, 1998
STONEHAM, MA - If it were up to him, Robert Barbarisi would vacate the superintendent seat just as he had filled it four months ago; without congratulations, fanfare or, for that matter, recognition.
Joseph Connelly has yet to work a day as superintendent of schools in Stoneham, but has already been heralded by School Committee members and the media (Stoneham Independent included). Not so for the semi-retired interim superintendent who replaced Dr. Ellen Bueschel in early March.
"The time that I'm here is a transition," Barbarisi said. "My approach is to be a little more low key than I'd be otherwise. I try to provide some stability and help out the person who will succeed me."
Beginning at the end of July, Barbarisi will embark on his seventh or eighth retirement, by his account, and spend some overdue time with his ever-enlarging family.
"I've been busier than I'd actually planned," he explained. "I'm looking forward to spending more time with my children and grandchildren.
"I'd like to take a little time and relax a little," Barbarisi continued. "Through word of mouth, I've kept busier than I have wanted."
This is because, in some educational circles, Barbarisi is valued as a near-priceless commodity. It takes an experienced, subtle and multitalented person to not only lead a school department through a superintendency transition, but also succeed in leading that school department over two substantial hurdles in a four month period.
For Barbarisi, it didn't take long before he was confronted with the first of these two hurdles; the North School oil spill.
He said composure and his experience with similar incidents in the past aided him in dealing with the spill, the cost of which nearly reached $300,000.
Similar attributes helped him weigh out dozens of options in the lengthy School Department budgetary process which resulted in large cuts to school maintenance and extra curricular activities. Barbarisi said that, in the interim roles in the past seven years, nearly all of the school systems had similar budget concerns and some were forced to make large cuts similar to those made in Stoneham.
"It's a big business and there are always issues that come to the forefront and have to be dealt with," he explained.
In terms of the oil spill, he was quick to credit both the town administrator and the Department of Public Works with the containment and fiscal dealings required for the project.
Barbarisi and the School Department, however, had to deal with the health of the children attending the school, with the timing of their return to the school and with the logistics involved in the installation of another tank.
Barbarisi credited the School Committee and administration with making the budgetary process go smoothly.
"My involvement with the School Committee has been very positive," he said. "They are people who want to help the children. The principals and other administrators were very receptive in dealing with me on the budget among other things, and they helped make some less than rewarding decisions."
Barbarisi, who may have difficulty listing all the towns he has helped through times such as these in his years of education, said the staff and volunteers in Stoneham have a special quality.
"The thing that's impressed me has been that people are willing to look beyond (the difficulties) and look at the positives," he said. "That bodes well for the future.
"Everything that I've seen has been good and positive in terms of education."
Although some parents and residents may question the School Department for monetary shortcomings which have arisen as of late, Barbarisi said that these types of problems are commonplace and, in most instances, are not due to a lack of foresight or hard work.
"The thing that I've found somewhat interesting (in his years in education) is that most school systems are very similar, and the problems they have are very similar," he said.
This fact, he continued, makes his job as an interim superintendent easier.
"It doesn't take too long to get up to speed on things and to learn about the school systems," Barbarisi said. "I don't generally like to take on things that are long range. I tend to look at the short term things which need to be taken care of more quickly."
Although he would prefer to direct credit in every direction but his own, it can be said that Barbarisi is the main ingredient in the School Department's achievements over the past four months and he said that he has enjoyed his stay in the town.
"It's been a very positive experience for me. I've felt very good about the cooperation between the teachers and staff," he said. "I've been very much gratified by the support they've provided me with."
When Connelly takes his seat at the helm of the department, he will likely need input from a person who knows the system and may feel overwhelmed by his new surroundings.
If so, "I'll be just a phone call away," Barbarisi said.
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