Framingham Can Meet Assistant Superintendent Finalist Monday Night

Frank Tiano is Framingham Superintendent of Schools Stacy Scott’s pick for finalist for assistant superintendent in Framingham.

He is the current Superintendent of Schools in Chelmsford, which is very close geographically to Dracut, which is where Scott was superintendent prior to coming to Framingham.

The Framingham Public Schools sent a press release Thursday afternoon announcing Scott’s pick for the district new assistant superintendent.

The announcement comes one day before school ends - today, June 26.

The public is invited to meet the finalist, whose first name was omitted in the Framingham Public Schools press release, Monday night, June 29 from 6 to 7 p.m., at the King Building.

Afterwards, the Framingham School Committee will hold a special meeting to interview the finalist. Then, the 7-member elected Committee will take a vote on hiring him.

Tiano is being forced out of his contract at the Chelmsford Public Schools. The press release failed to mention where Tiano was currently employed.

Tiano agreed to resign from the public school district in April, following mishandling of school budget issues and communications problems, reported the Lowell Sun newspaper.

Tiano’s contract ends June 30, 2016, but he agreed to resign effective July 1, 2015, according to a joint press release issued by himself and the Chelmsford School Committee in March.

In November 2014, Chelmsford’s teachers union voted no confidence in Tiano, citing concerns spurred by a school budget deficit and resulting layoffs.

Criticism of Tiano and his administration began at the end of September when the district laid off three administrators to cover a budget shortfall, which auditors later attributed to mismanagement, reported the Lowell Sun.

Chelmsford School Business Manager Kathleen McWilliams was placed on paid administrative leave for four months, then was paid a $25,000 settlement that ended her employment in the district in January, reported the Lowell newspaper.

That daily newspaper also reported that Tiano, as Superintendent of Schools, did not tell parents a teacher aide had been removed from Center School amid allegations he had inappropriately touched a student. The teacher was later arrested.

Tiano, if approved by the 7-member elected Framingham School Committee, would fill the vacancy left open by the early resignation of former Assistant Superintendent Mark Prince, who left the Framingham Public School district after just 1 year.

Tiano would also be Scott’s second selection for a finalist for Assistant Superintendent this year.

In January, he announced he had chosen Mark Brunell as his finalist.

Brunell who was working as COO of Building Excellent Schools, which supports entrepreneurs to design, found, lead and sustain excellent charter schools in underserved communities nationwide, was never hired.

The Framingham Teachers Association questioned the selection of Brunell, and later Scott announced the district would hold off on hiring an assistant superintendent until the 2016 fiscal year.

in August 2014, Scott announced Prince would leave the district.

Framingham Patch before that announcement had reported that Prince was no longer with the school system and would not be with Framingham Public Schools for the 2014-15 school year. Prince had not been seen in any buildings since before July 4.

After that Patch report was published, Scott told Patch Prince was still with the district but on vacation. By Framingham Patch’s account he was on vacation for more than 6 weeks.

Prince, who was a graduate of Framingham North High and attended King Elementary, Walsh Middle and Framingham North, along with his twin brother as a METCO student, was hired in June 2013 and was awarded a 3-year contract, at $135,000 a year.

When hired, Prince too was coming from a district that no longer wanted him.

Prior to coming to Framingham, Prince was interim superintendent of Gill-Montague Regional Schools in Montague.

Just prior to his hiring the Gill-Montague Regional School Committee hired a permanent superintendent, a move the state education commissioner was watching as the district has been at a Level 4 or underforming school district since 2007. Prince, who was interim superintendent, was then placed on paid leave for the rest of of his contract, according to a report by The Recorder newspaper.

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This is the full text of the press release issued by the Framingham Public Schools on Thursday afternoon, June 25:

The School Committee is pleased to host a “Meet and Greet” session for the community to meet the finalist for the position of Assistant Superintendent of Schools.

The session will be held on Monday evening, June 29, 2015 from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM and will be held in the Desmarais Room of the King Building located at 454 Water Street, Framingham.

An Interview Committee was established by the Chief Human Resources Officer and consisted of a School Committee member as well as district administrators. There were over fifty resumes submitted and the pool was culled to an interview pool of nine. Extensive interviews were conducted over a three-day period. The Interview Committee recommended three candidates for an interview with the Superintendent of Schools.

The Superintendent has recommended a finalist for this position. The School Committee will interview Dr. Tiano in open session at its meeting on Monday, June 29, 2015 in the Desmarais Room immediately following the “Meet and Greet”.

Dr. Tiano began his career as an elementary classroom teacher twenty-five years ago and has progressed to Assistant Principal, Principal, District 504 Coordinator, Assistant Superintendent and Superintendent positions. He was one of one hundred superintendents nationwide chosen to attend the Superintendent’s Summit at the White House in 2014.