Hassett Looks Back On Time As Superintendent

The Lynnfield School District is getting ready for a changing of the guard, with Superintendent Robert Hassett preparing to begin his retirement at the end of this week.

Hassett has spent the past three years as the district's superintendent. Before that, he spent about six years as the principal at Lynnfield High School, preceded by a five-year stint at the assistant principal at LHS. Before that, he spent 20 years as a biology teacher in the Melrose school system.

At the outset of his career, he graduated from Boston College with a double major in biology and secondary education, and he also holds an MA in educational administration and supervision from Suffolk University.

In an interview this week, the superintendent looked back at some of the challenges and highlights he has seen under his watch - including the recently concluded town budget process, which he said was "absolutely the most difficult budget year" of his tenure.

If town residents had not approved a $560,000 Proposition 2 1/2 override earlier this spring, Hassett said that 26 teachers and other school employees would have been laid off.

"It was an enormous relief," said Hassett of the vote. "Quite frankly, the people I laid off were people I hired in my superintendency." He added that this process had been "the hardest part in my career," as well as extremely difficult for district employees, students and parents.

District Has Achieved Much In Recent Years

Despite a spring that was largely characterized by the town's fiscal difficulties, Hassett has many highlights for the entire district that he can cite during his time as superintendent.

For example, he mentioned the Lynnfield Preschool's recent certification by the National Association for the Education of Young Children as the "gold standard" in early childhood education.

"I feel great about being part of the reconstruction of the high school," added Hassett.

In the coming months, the town will see the high school expansion project get underway. However, he also looked back on the renovation projects at the two elementary schools and the high school about nine years ago, which the state paid for about two-thirds of.

Hassett recalled how at one point, the auditorium was used as the cafeteria, there was no available student parking lot,  and people had to go outside to get from one wing of the school to the other.

"It was a very interesting time," said Hassett. "We really didn't miss a beat in teaching and learning... The whole community was behind it."

District Has Excelled In Numerous Ways

The superintendent also recalled how LHS had been named a compass school by the state, and how he had traveled to Washington in 2007 with (now retired) LHS English teacher Millie Forbes when the school was the only one in New England to win a No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon Award.

In recent years, the Lynnfield School District has also been cited by U.S. News and World Report for its high performance. The high school has also been recognized for its high rate of AP class participation, while the town's fourth graders at one point got the highest math and English MCAS scores in the state.

Optimistic For The Future

After Hassett's tenure formally ends this week, the new superintendent will be Dr. Thomas Jefferson, who has served in that capacity for the town of Harvard since 2005.

"I think Dr. Jefferson is coming in at a tremendous time as far as the school district is concerned," said Hassett.

Hassett is also optimistic about the district's FY 2013 budget process, although looking ahead, he noted that one issue to watch out for could be the available amount of federal education funding. The retiring superintendent is also wary of just how much the economy will recover in the near term, given the impact that has on budget revenues.

The district benefited from two years of federal stimulus funds above $300,000 for special education programs, as well as a $190,000 Jobs In Education grant for fiscal years 2011 and 2013.

"The mystery card is whether there will be additional federal funds coming into the district," said Hassett.

A couple of things he continues to support for the district include turf athletic fields, while acknowledging that this could be expensive, as well as a late METCO bus to further benefit that program.

Plans To Relax This Summer

Once his retirement is official, Hassett will be able to spend more time with his family and he is also looking forward to enjoying his second home in Hull, where he has a small boat.

The superintendent also indicated that some travel in the fall could be a possibility, as "September can be a melancholy month for retired educators."

"It's been an absolutely wonderful experience working in Lynnfield," said Hassett. "The people have been great - parents, town officials, teachers, staff - they've all been very supportive - but most importantly, the kids."