Salem School Committee Names New Superintendent

SALEM, MA — The Salem School Committee voted Thursday to extend a contract offer to Dr. Stephen Zrike to be the district's next superintendent.

"Dr. Zrike brings a great deal of experience to our District and the Committee received a tremendous amount of positive feedback from teachers, students, families and the community at large who felt he's the type of leader who can help move our schools from good to great!" Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll, who also chairs the school committee, said in a Facebook post. "I had the chance to speak with Dr. Zrike after our meeting and he is very excited about the opportunity to work in Salem."

Zrike, who will assume his new role at the start of the 2020-21 school year, is currently the Superintendent of Holyoke Public Schools. Prior to accepting the position in Holyoke, he served as Superintendent of the Wakefield Public Schools.

"This is a community who's poised to do really impactful things," Zrike said in his interview with the school committee Wednesday. "The will to be better is what drives me to want to be here."

Zrike was chosen over three other finalists: Dr. Lourenco Garcia, Executive Director of Data and Accountability for the Revere Public Schools; Ben Lummis,Interim Superintendent of the Brookline Public Schools; and Erin McMahon, National Chief Academic Officer for the KIPP Foundation in New York City.

Zrike will replace interim superintendent Kathleen Smith. Smith came on board after embattled Superintendent Margarita Ruiz resigned last year.