UPDATED: L-S School Committee Names Interim Superintendent

UPDATED: 3:37 P.M.

Just as the LSPTO announced a farewell party for outgoing Superintendent/Principal Scott Carpenter, the L-S school committee made it public it is ready to move on with a new leader.

Bella Wong, the former Wellesley Public Schools superintendent, was appointed to replace Carpenter Tuesday morning on an interim basis.

She is expected to start July 1 pending a successful negotitation.

"Bella Wong is a good fit for LS for many reasons, most notably her knowledge of LS by virtue of her having been a teacher at the school, her understanding of key policy issues affecting public education, and her experience advocating for capital projects," said Nancy Marshall, chair of the School Committee. "We look forward to working with her very much."

The School Committee will undertake a search for a permanent superintendent/principal in the fall.  

Wong comes to L-S after a controvesial exit from Wellesley.

After a tumultuous 2010-11 year for the school department, which began in March 2011 with news that the school lunch account was in arrears by more than $100,000 and included a professional review showing sloppy accounting practices in the business office and most recently questions arising over hiring practices after a middle school custodian was charged with stealing computers and jewelry from the building, Wong announced her plans to resign.

“Ongoing public concern over school operational protocol has placed the school department in a defensive posture and has undermined my capacity to advocate effectively for the benefit of the school district at this critical juncture,” Wong wrote in her resignation letter.

School Committee members praised Wong after her fourth year on the job for her ability to maneuver through difficult situations, in particular an unexpected media furor over a sixth-grade social studies field trip to a Boston mosque.

“It was a tough few weeks, a very difficult event that you handled in a calm and professional manner,” School Committee member Suzy Littlefield said.

The other finalist was Herbert Levine, was most recently with the Peabody Public Schools.

Edward Malvey bowed out last week after accepting a similar position in western Massachusetts.

"We engaged in a rigorous and inclusive search process, which included numerous interviews, a campus visit, and an extensive reference checking process," Marshall said. "The search committee, which included teachers, members of the school committee, an administrator, and a parent, extends its appreciation to all of the candidates for their interest in our school."

The farewell reception for Carpenter is planned for June 9 from 3-5 p.m. at the L-S courtyard. In case of inclement weather, the event will be held in the L-S cafeteria.

Carpenter will become head of the Monomoy Regional School District on July 1.