New sped director named
Published on May 26th, 1999
STONEHAM, MA - If he accepts the offer, Robert McArdle of Reading will be the new Administrator of Pupil Personnel for the Stoneham Schools.
The School Committee voted 5-0 at a May 20 meeting to offer McArdle the position, which encompasses the roles of a special education director and an overall personnel director.
McArdle's salary will be announced at a June meeting where, the committee expects, he will sign his contract.
"Bob said if we offered him the job, he would accept," Superintendent Joseph Connelly said.
According to Connelly, the School Department had to act quickly to fill the void left by the sudden resignation of longtime school administrator Frank Gagliardi on March 3.
Because of the "sad predicament," as School Committee Chairwoman Jeanne Craigie described it, leading to Gagliardi's unceremonious departure, the School Department needed to find an experienced administrator to step into the shaken school system.
The School Committee originally planned to interview finalists in early June. But after narrowing a field of 14 candidates to six potential finalists, three of these individuals took other positions, and school officials decided to pick up the pace.
Connelly recommended McArdle for the position after listening to the School Committee interview McArdle and the second finalist, Dr. Ronda Goodale of Brookline.
McArdle has been the Administrator of Pupil Personnel at Greater Lawrence Technical School for the past five years, and previous to that he was the Director of Special Education in Woburn for 16 years.
Goodale has been an assistant program director in the special education department of the Boston school system for the past year. She has been a special education program advisor at various levels of the Boston school system since 1990 and has been a Lecturer in the University of Massachusetts, Boston Campus Graduate School of Education since 1968.
"We have two very strong candidates, but we have to hire the person we think fits our needs as they exist," School Committee member Stephen Gucciardi said.
What the school department needs is a special education director, a personnel director, two school principals and a grant coordinator; Gagliardi was all of these.
"What is your experience in special education budgeting and financial management?" Craigie asked each finalist.
"At Woburn I was responsible for everything — all aspects of a $3 1/2 to 4 million budget," McArdle said.
"I assisted the Special Education Director in drafting budgets for the past two to three years," Goodale said.
Both candidates described their management style as interactive, and both were well-versed in special education theory and policy. They favored an inclusionary model bringing special education and typical-development children together in a unified program.
The distinguishing factor, which seemed to be the deciding factor for the School Committee, was managerial experience.
"Mr. McArdle has the edge with experience," Gucciardi said. "He brings 22 years as a sped director."
McArdle will not be asked to take on responsibilities identical to those Gagliardi performed.
Some shifting of responsibility will be necessary, Connelly said.
In the interim other school administrators have stepped up and taken over the duties abandoned by Gagliardi. Connelly and the School Committee wanted to recognize the efforts of these people.
"We were able to get everything covered without expending one extra dollar," Craigie said.
High School Principal Tom Ryan took over as Acting Special Education Director
"He deserves much recognition," Connelly said.
Assistant Superintendent Elizabeth Keroack took over grant administration and some curriculum responsibilities.
Maureen Burke, Assistant Principal of the Central School added Principal of the North School to her duties.
And Dr. Paula Sline, Principal of the South School, took on added responsibility as Principal of the Colonial Park School.
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