By Elizabeth F. McNamara

The School Committee voted 6-0 Tuesday to approve Frank Pallotta’s hire as interim superintendent. He will start later this month, overlapping briefly with Supt. Victor Mercurio, who leaves the district at year’s end after 10 years on the job.  

Pallotta spent 48 years in education, including stints as superintendent in Lincoln and Burrillville. He also served on the North Providence School Committee for 20 years. 

He made it clear at the outset he was not interested in the permanent job. 

“I am retired,” he said definitively. “I know how important serving as an interim is, to make sure the agenda, the planning moves forward.”

Pallotta will be paid $750 a day for a maximum of 90 days. The hope, according to School Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Mark, is that will enable him to stay through the 2019-20 school year. (The 90-day limit comes because he is collecting a pension and that is the number of work days allowed under state law.)

Meanwhile, the ads for a new superintendent have been placed and search consultant Joe Erardi has started visiting EG schools and meeting with administrators. There are two community sessions with Erardi for parents and others to express what they want in a superintendent, on the next two Thursdays, Dec. 12 and Dec. 19, at 7 p.m. in the library at Cole Middle School.

Those who cannot make the community sessions are invited to complete this survey (click here).

Read more about the superintendent search here:

Superintendent Search Update: Interim Found; Hiring Process Outlined 

Consultant to Help With Superintendent Search

Mercurio Resigns After 10 Years as Superintendent

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