MARLBOROUGH – Richer Elementary School principal Robert Skaza is in line to become Marlborough’s next assistant superintendent for teaching and learning following a School Committee vote this month.
Meeting on July 12, the School Committee voted to accept the recommendation of Skaza for the position pending contract negotiations, which were ongoing.
Skaza will replace Mary Murphy, who was promoted to the role of superintendent in anticipation of the departure of now former Marlborough Superintendent Michael Bergeron this month.
Skaza has been a member of the district for over two decades, initially starting as an applied behavioral analysis therapist in the autism program. He later worked as a teacher, coach and assistant principal before becoming the Richer principal.
Committee screened candidates
A committee had interviewed and screened candidates for the open position before recommending Skaza to Murphy and Bergeron.
As Bergeron was the superintendent at the time, it was his appointment to make, Murphy told the Community Advocate.
“Superintendent Bergeron wanted everyone to know that he was making that recommendation with full confidence that Dr. Skaza will first meet and then exceed every expectation that this committee has for the role of assistant superintendent,” Murphy told the School Committee.
Assistant principal to assume interim duties
With Skaza promoted, Richer Assistant Principal Lisa Richards will serve as the interim principal at Richer.
Richards previously worked as a teacher in Marlborough Public Schools from 2006 to 2014, as noted on her LinkedIn.
She worked as an English language assistant until 2018. She then worked as a reading interventionist for a year before becoming the assistant principal.
Assistant Principal at Whitcomb Middle School Wayne Labbe will be transferred to Richer to serve as the assistant principal to assist Richards.
“At this late notice, we felt that this was the best plan,” Murphy said.
After the meeting, Murphy told the Community Advocate that the plan is currently to reevaluate the principal role at Richer in January or February.
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