Dracut principal promotion questioned

By Erin Smith, esmith@lowellsun.com

DRACUT — How did Superintendent W. Spencer Mullin make his decision to hire the new principal for Englesby Intermediate School?

School Committee member Mike McNamara wants to know, after he said complaints surfaced from screening committee members who felt their voices weren’t heard.

“People put their time and effort into serving on screening committee and their work should be valued,” said McNamara.

McNamara said he heard complaints from Joyce Desjardins, president of the teachers union, that several people on the screening committee felt they weren’t being listened to during the hiring process.

Desjardins, one of the seven screening committee members, referred all questions to the School Committee.

“We wish to be recorded as having no comment,” said Desjardins, who said she is speaking for the other teachers on the screening committee.

McNamara made a motion for more information on the hiring process at last week’s School Committee meeting, and said he’s now waiting for School Committee Chairman Matthew Sheehan to set up a subcommittee to investigate.

Mullin appointed seven people to the screening committee, including parents and teachers. Under state law, the superintendent retains sole hiring power for Dracut schools and has the final say over all teachers, principals and staff.

At last week’s School Committee meeting, Mullin announced Assistant Principal Jacqueline Perrin would take over at Englesby. Principal Robert Young retired this month.

Perrin’s sister is former School Committee member Mary Gail Martin. Mullin said speculation about the connection is unfounded.

“I can assure you she was the most qualified candidate with the best credentials, and if she wasn’t the best person for the job, I wouldn’t have hired her,” said Mullin.

Sheehan said he hadn’t heard about any complaints or controversy surrounding Perrin’s promotion until McNamara’s motion.

“That’s the first I had heard about it, and I had talked to people on the screening committee,” Sheehan said.