Patriquin ready to start school year
Published on September 6th, 2006
STONEHAM, MA - For newcomer Assistant Superintendent Anne Patriquin, her first summer in the district's second-highest administrative post has been a learning experience.
But according to Georgetown's former Director of Curriculum and Instruction, her summer education hasn't revolved around memorizing government jargon and the underpinnings of her job duties, but rather understanding the human element of her newest professional endeavor.
"The work is the work. Nobody has to teach me the acronyms," explained the Wakefield native, referring to the Department of Education's tendency to transform program names and educational vernacular into an alphabet soup of sorts.
"This summer has really been about getting to know people. I'm trying to get into every school before the year starts," the Assistant Superintendent added. "Right now, my plan is to listen and to learn. It seems to me that Stoneham is doing very well. So I'm not going to be rocking any huge boats."
Patriquin, who was named to the administrative post vacated by former Assistant Superintendent Joseph Casey, beat-out second finalist, Billerica High School Principal Dr. Richard Safier, during interviews by the School Committee last June.
Nearly 25 applicants, nine of whom were selected for a first round of interviews, were vying for a chance to replace Casey, who left to Stoneham to become Melrose's Superintendent of Schools.
According to Patriquin, her familiarity with Stoneham, and her belief that the inner-workings of its school system fit her personality, was a huge factor in her decision to first apply for the post.
Not just acquainted with Stoneham's geography and major street names as a long-time town neighbor from Wakefield, the former social studies teacher has many roots in the town, as her mother, older brothers, and uncle all resided within the municipality.
"I went back to school three-years ago. I'm in the doctoral program at UMASS Lowell, so this [being an Assistant Superintendent] has always been my goal," the former Georgetown administrator admits.
"But I hadn't been applying for jobs willy-nilly. I was looking for a school system that fit with my skill sets and my personality. I've seen too many people in positions like this where their personality didn't fit. So I felt very comfortable with Stoneham," Patriquin explained.
According to the new administrator, although her most-recent Georgetown experience was within a smaller school district, she has first-hand experience with virtually every aspect of her new position.
In fact, because the northern Massachusetts community didn't have an Assistant Superintendent because of its size, Patriquin believes she had a greater opportunity to take-on added job responsibilities, most importantly a continued role as a classroom educator.
"In a smaller district, you wear more hats. But I'm thankful for that because it's given me the [necessary] experience," the Assistant Superintendent explained.
"[In Georgetown], I was in the corridors everyday, interacting with the kids," added the Wakefield resident, who up until two-years-ago was still teaching AP history courses. "Sometimes, central offices are all in the same building, and if you don't have interaction with the kids all the time, you might forget what this job is all about."
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