Welcome to the ARPS Superintendent Search Webpage
This page will contain updated information about the search for a new superintendent.
The Regional and Union 26 School Committees are pleased to announce that Dr. E. Xiomara Herman has accepted the position of ARPS superintendent. Dr. Herman’s contract was approved by the joint committees on May 17, 2024 and her first day will be July 1, 2024.
Recordings of Public Interviews
Dr. E. Xiomara Herman, April 25
Online Input Forms
Please use this online input form to provide your input on the individual finalists for the superintendent position (you may submit the form once for each finalist):
Please use this online form to provide your ranking of the candidates:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc8NMYggZSvIzSoSeq_k3sBefBAgPRhJ0D3zTubXxxfOOLt7g/viewform?usp=sf_link
Superintendent Finalists Announced
On March 26, the Regional School Committee and the Union 26 School Committee approved three finalists for the superintendent position. Please see the press release that was sent out on March 27.
Finalists information:
Susan Gilson
Joanne Menard
Ericilda Xiomara Herman
- Ericilda Xiomara Herman CV
- Ericilda Xiomara Herman reference report
- Ericilda Xiomara Herman Apr 24-25 visit itinerary
Summary of Community Input Sessions
The summary of the eleven Community Input Sessions, as well as input gathered via the online survey, is now available. Please click here to view/download the survey results.
Superintendent Search Committee
The Search Committee for the superintendent position has been finalized.
Members were selected from those who applied, using a randomized and anonymized process that ensured representation of our diverse community.
Search Committee members:
Markyta Ables
Yari Bachand
Inanna Balkin
Marialuisa Di Stefano
Maureen Fleming
Yael Fuerst
Ellen Jedrey-Guidera
Swan Keyes
José Lugo
Sarah Marshall
Miguelina Hernandez
Jen Malcolm-Brown
Cynthia Rhodes
Robin Santiago
Jennifer Shiao
Joe Russavage
Martha Toro
Ellisha Walker
Kate Westafer
The members include at least one member associated with each of these categories:
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- Amherst Elementary School parent/guardian
- Amherst Elementary School employee
- Amherst Regional High School (ARHS) parent/guardian
- Amherst Regional High School (ARHS) student
- Amherst Regional Middle School (ARMS) parent/guardian
- Amherst resident
- ARPS administrator
- ARPS educator
- ARPS non-educator employee
- ARPS paraeducator
- ARPS Special Education educator
- Direct report of Superintendent
- Parent/guardian of English language learner student
- Experience living with poverty
- Identify as American Indian or Alaska Native
- Identify as Asian
- Identify as Black or African American
- Identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color)
- Identify as LBGTQIA+ (Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersexual, Asexual, plus)
- Identify as Hispanic or Latinx/Latine/Latino/Latina
- Identify as member of other historically marginalized group
- Identify as person with a disability
- Leverett resident
- Member of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)
- Member of Amherst Pelham Education Association (APEA)
- Member of Amherst Pelham Administrator Association (APAA)
- Member of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW)
- Member of municipal government (Towns of Amherst, Leverett, Pelham or Shutesbury)
- Member of Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC)
- Native speaker of language other than English
- Pelham Elementary School parent/guardian
- Pelham Elementary School employee
- Pelham resident
- Regional School Committee or Union 26 School Committee member
- Shutesbury resident
- Parent/guardian of a special education student
- Summit Academy employee
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Community Input Sessions Summary Report
A summary of the input collected at the Community Input Sessions will be available and published here around the end of February.
Process Outline
December: Search Committee interest form published
January:
- Superintendent job posting published
- Community stakeholder sessions held
- Search Committee interest form closes
- Search Committee members selected and voted on by the Regional and Union 26 School Committee
February: Job posting closes
March: Search Committee reviews applicants, conducts interviews, and selects finalists
April-May
- Finalist site visits and community interviews
- Regional and Union 26 School Committees decide on final candidate and make job offer
July 1, 2024: New Superintendent first day on the job