School Committee Will Not Seek Jefferson Contract Renewal

The Lynnfield School Committee will not offer a contract extension to Superintendent Thomas W. Jefferson, with just under a year remaining on his current deal. 

School Committee Chair Dorothy Presser told local media this week that Jefferson's current contract extends through June 30, 2014 - and that members had until this past June 30 to notify him whether they would seek a contract extension. 

"There was no notification given or requested," Presser told Lynnfield Patch, adding that Jefferson's contract will expire on the previously mentioned date. "There was just a lack of action that will cause it to expire." 

"My sense is there is a mismatch between Tom's leadership style and the committee's expectations," she said, adding that Dr. Jefferson deserves credit for his work on the school budget and on securing more professional development time for teachers, among other things. 

Presser also emphasized that the district has had smooth leadership transitions before, and that the committee will reach out to the Massachusetts Association of School Committees for help in the next search. 

"We have a busy year ahead. The school committee and Tom are going to be focused on having a productive year for our students this year," said Presser. 

Dr. Jefferson responded to inquiries from local media with the following email reply: 

"At this point in time I'm planning on completing my current contract and retiring in June of 2014. Beyond that  I'm looking forward to exploring some other professional options that are becoming available following my retirement from Lynnfield."

"I'm quite proud of the accomplishments of the district in the past two years and looking forward to a challenging and productive year ahead.  We have several exciting goals and initiatives  underway in technology, curriculum revision, 21st century learning skills, and educator evaluation that will be the focus of much of work in the year ahead."