The Edgartown School is closing in on its search for a new principal, narrowing the initial 12 applicants down to three finalists, two of which are assistant principals for Island schools and one a principal from Attleboro.
The three finalists include Deborah DeBettencourt, current Assistant Principal at Edgartown School and a guidance counselor at Edgartown since 1993; Kate Campbell, current principal at Attleboro High School, and Justine DeOliveira, current assistant principal of MVRHS, who also oversees the high schools curriculum.
“I feel extremely, extremely fortunate that we have three really good candidates,” said Richie Smith, superintendent of schools. “I think all of them have strengths in administration, they all have talked about being collaborative leaders meaning when they make decisions they actually talk with stakeholders and consider other peoples perspectives.”
The job was posted the last week of December, and since then Edgartown School has formed a 20 person committee made up of staff and parents, members from the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head Aquinnah, Edgartown leaders, and parents of students in the English language learners program.
The search for a new official principal follows the retirement of Shelley Einbinder in April 2024. John Stevens is serving as interim principal, who was previously the principal at the school for more than a decade before serving as an assistant superintendent.
“The Edgartown community has been through a lot of change and I want to create stability and optimism with the person we choose,” Smith said. “I think we will get that with all of the candidates and the committee is helping to really communicate the priorities and the traditions of the school.”
Smith said that the three finalists all visited the school, met with staff, parents, and town leaders.
The next step in the hiring process, members of the committee will observe candidates in their work environments. The committee is going to visit DeOliveira at the high school on Thursday, Campbell at Attleboro High School on Friday, then DeBettencourt at the Edgartown school on Monday.
Smith emphasized the importance of finding a candidate who can honor the Islands’ unique cultures, as well as listen, develop strong relationships with staff and students, and to communicate well with the community.
The Edgartown School Committee is expected to select a new principal in mid-April.
“Our island is becoming more and more diverse and it’s incredibly important for all the candidates to have an eye towards inclusivity and cultural responsiveness,” Smith said. “What I am looking for as a superintendent is someone who develops trust among the parents, staff, and students.”
“There needs to be strong energy and strong enthusiasm, and there needs to be a real focus on instruction and the curriculum, and the different programs in the school, and I feel like each one of our candidates have that,” Smith added.