Holliston School Committee Announces Interim Superintendent

Holliston Reporter

The Holliston School Committee is pleased to announce our unanimous vote to appoint Dr. Susan Kustka as interim superintendent for the 2020-21 school year, pending successful contract negotiations.

Dr. Kustka has 25 years of experience as an educator, most recently as assistant superintendent for administration and personnel, Weymouth Public Schools, from 2013 to 2019.

Dr. Kustka began her career in Scituate as a middle school special educator in 1994. She then spent 10 years as an elementary educator in Plymouth before transitioning to an administrative role in Hanover in 2009. She holds a Master of Education degree in Moderate Special Needs from Boston College. In 2017, Dr. Kustka earned her doctorate in education from Northeastern University. 

In our deliberations, School Committee members noted her collaborative style and breadth of experience, which includes significant expertise in social-emotional learning, social justice, and communications, including family engagement. Dr. Kustka has worked in every aspect of school management, including human resources, contract negotiations, curriculum, budget, safety and security, and policy. 

The School Committee posted the job description in late May and received 28 applications. A Screening Committee was established that included two School Committee members, Cynthia Listewnik and Dawn Neborsky; Nicole Bottomley, the high school principal; and Erin Squiers, a physical education and wellness teacher for Miller and Placentino. They narrowed down the pool to nine candidates, who were interviewed by the Screening Committee, which then selected four finalists. The full School Committee interviewed the four finalists on June 25. 

We are grateful for the dozens of emails from parents, staff members and community partners that we received in recent days offering feedback on the decision. 

Our search for a permanent superintendent will launch during the school year and include a Search Committee of school committee members, Holliston residents, and educators, with the goal of having a permanent superintendent in place by July 1, 2021.

Stacey M. Raffi, Chair, Holliston School Committee

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