Waltham Appoints New Superintendent Of Schools

WALTHAM, MA — After months of looking, Waltham has selected a new superintendent of schools. Wilmington Assistant Superintendent Brian Reagan was named the new superintendent of Waltham Public Schools late last week.

The Waltham School Committee choose Reagan, who was one of three other finalists, and called him with the news at their meeting last week. Reagan, who has held his current role for the last year and a half, is expected to begin in Waltham this summer.

Reagan is Wilmington's assistant superintendent for curriculum and staff development. He grew up in Waltham but was the only finalist not to have multiple years experience as a superintendent previously. The school committee chose him over Braintree's Frank Hackett and Sergio Paez, who is bilingual and has experience working in districts that need a turn around.

Former HR director George Frost is interim superintendent this school year until Reagan slides into the role this summer.

In the end it came down to three finalists (a fourth backed out at the last minute). Paez and Reagan and Hackett were in the running and came before the school committee for their public interviews last week as a handful of search committee members, teachers, and administrators watched from the audience in mid February. Questions ranged in topic to access the candidates' level of commitment.

Both Paez and Hacket have years of experience in other districts as superintendents. Paez is bilingual.

Reagan has been the assistant superintendent for Wilmington Public Schools for the past year and a half. Before that he was principal for seven years at Hudson High School and for five years at Shrewsbury High School. He has his doctorate from Northeastern University and his masters from UMass Boston. He got his bachelors in music from Boston University. His resume stresses an ability to build relationships, school climate and community investment.

The new superintendent will oversee a budget of about $92 million across 10 schools and a pre school and some 5,692 students, 51 percent of which English is not their first language.

Of the student population 49.5 percent are considered low Income, and 15.6 percent are considered needing special education.

Reagan will also be expected to usher in - and follow through with - the master plan for the new high school building project and address diversity needs and education gaps in the district.

The superintendent search committee was made up of 15 people, including three school committee members, two administrators, three faculty members, three parents, two community members, and representatives of the special education team and of an English language learner. They spent months combing through the more than two dozen applications. That culminated in choosing four finalists earlier this month to move forward to the School Committee. Brad Morgan, who previously worked in Waltham, withdrew before his interview with the committee.

Previously:

• Search For Superintendent Of Waltham Schools Is On
• George Frost To Be Waltham Schools Interim Superintendent
• Waltham Superintendent Echelson Resigns, Takes Job At ...
• Waltham Seeks Superintendent Search Committee Members
• 19 People Applied To Be Superintendent of Waltham Schools
• Superintendent Search Hits Snag In Waltham
• Search For Superintendent Of Waltham Schools Is On Again
• Waltham Superintendent Candidate Withdraws

Patch reporter Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna).