Essex Tech Superintendent Earns 'Exemplary' Marks From School Board

DANVERS, MA — Essex North Shore Tech Superintendent Heidi Riccio earned "exemplary" marks in guiding the district this past school year in a recent unanimous vote of the Essex Tech School Committee on her review.

School Committee Chair Mark Strout said Riccio was commended for instituting high expectations for quality of effort and work, engaging all students and a personalized approach to accommodating diverse learning styles, needs, interests and level of readiness.

Riccio, in her seventh year in the district, was recently awarded a three-year contract extension through 2o29 and a 5 percent pay increase for the upcoming school year.

Strout said in a statement that Riccio has been responsible for securing tens of millions of dollars in competitive grants throughout her tenure as superintendent/director, has been the catalyst behind the South Campus renovation project and the recently completed extension to the Veterinary Sciences building, the near completion of the Catherine Larkin Memorial Cottage, and an incoming Freshman class of more than students.

"Riccio has received accolades from the entire School Committee for her accomplishments thus far," Strout said.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)