School Committee Hires Superintendent for 2013-14

Garry Murphy will take the helm of the Swampscott school system starting July 1, helping to develop administrative talent within the district during his year-long tenure.

Murphy, a retired superintendent who is now serving as interim superintendent in Wakefield, had expressed some reservation about assuming the interim post — preferring a coaching role — during his interview on Monday.

This after he learned that the school leadership team preferred that the current assistant superintendent, Pamela Angelakis, become interim superintendent.

School Committee member Rick Kraft said that in subsequent conversations with Murphy, he came to see the Committee's point of view.

Committee members want an experienced superintendent, someone who has helped stabilize and bring together other districts in flux, to be the interim superintendent.

They want Murphy to move forward with technological and other existing initiatives and mentor and coach administrators.

Assistant Superintendent Angelakis said she is excited about working alongside and with Murphy.

Murphy will serve as a part-time superintendent, working with and mentoring the assistant superintendent.

Committee members voted unanimously to begin negotiations with Murphy.

He said earlier he was confident that he would be agreeable to working for the money budgeted for the post.

School Committee members said they wanted to hire the interim superintendent without spending any more money than the district would have spent had no changes been made.

Superintendent Lynne Celli will serve in the coming school year as executive superintendent for special projects, and is scheduled to earn $85,000, or half her current $170,000 salary.

Murphy was interim superintendent at Hillsboro-Deering last year and an educational consultant for Arlington, Nashoba Valley, Groton-Dunstable and Swamspcott between 2005-2010.  He retired in 2005 after 13 years as superintendent for the Triton Regional School District.