The Darien Board of Education plans to hire a firm to conduct a nationwide search for a superintendent of schools to replace Dr. Alan Addley, who recently announced he’s stepping down from the job after six years.
An announcement from the board, emailed on Friday, also said an interim superintendent will be hired. The search process will be private initially, but public by the time a vote is taken to appoint a new superintendent. The search committee will be the Board of Education itself and will review candidates found by the search firm.
“Community input will be a vital component of the search process,” the announcement said. “The selected search firm will facilitate opportunities for stakeholder engagement through methods such as surveys and/or focus groups to gather feedback on the desired qualities and qualifications for our next superintendent.”
Full Text of the Board’s Announcement
Dear Darien parents and community,
Last week, Dr. Alan Addley announced his plans to retire at the end of this school year. We, the Darien Board of Education, extend our sincere appreciation to Dr. Addley for his six years of dedicated service to our students, staff, and community and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.
Dr. Addley guided our district through unique challenges while developing meaningful programs which continue to benefit each member of our community. The renovations of Hindley, Holmes and Royle, as well as the new Ox Ridge building, will be a reminder of Dr. Addley’s important work for decades to come.
To ensure a smooth transition, the board will appoint an interim superintendent who will assume responsibilities upon Dr. Addley’s departure. This individual will provide continuity, maintain our high educational standards, and address immediate district needs while we conduct a thorough nationwide search.
The board is committed to a thorough and transparent search for a permanent superintendent. We will engage a national search firm to assist in identifying top candidates, with the selection process for the firm beginning immediately.
The board’s Personnel Search Committee, consisting of all members and led by Dennis Maroney and Sara Parent, will oversee the search, including reviewing applications, conducting interviews and identifying finalists.
While aspects of the selection process must remain confidential to protect candidate privacy, the final hiring decision — including contract approval — will take place in a public Board of Education meeting with a recorded vote to ensure transparency and accountability.
Community input will be a vital component of the search process. The selected search firm will facilitate opportunities for stakeholder engagement through methods such as surveys and/or focus groups to gather feedback on the desired qualities and qualifications for our next superintendent.
We are confident that this process will result in the selection of a highly qualified and visionary leader who will build upon the district’s strengths and guide us toward continued excellence. The board is committed to keeping the community informed throughout this process and appreciates the ongoing support of our schools.
Should you have any questions about the Superintendent search, please email Mr. Maroney (dmaroney@darienps.org) and Mrs. Parent (sparent@darienps.org).
Sincerely,
Darien Board of Education
D. Jill McCammon, Chair
Robin Nelson, Vice-Chair
Sara Parent, Secretary
David Brown
Greg Grambling
Kadi Lublin
Dennis Maroney
John Sini
Joannna Walsh