HUDSON – After spending a day in Hudson and exploring the schools, Dr. June Saba-Maguire shared her first impression of the Hudson School District.
Saba-Maguire, who is one of the five finalists for the superintendent position, was interviewed by the School Committee March 22.
She said she had “an affinity” for the Dual Language Program as it was a vibrant example of Hudson’s investment in that area of education.
Her father was half-Puerto Rican, half-Greek and spoke Spanish, but the language was not spoken at home. She said she felt the impact of not fully realizing that part of her background, a loss she discovered later in life.
“I truly value the importance of developing a second language,” she said.
She discussed welcoming families in a way that they can maintain a sense of value in their own language and diversity. The fact that members of her own family did not fully celebrate their unique background has resonated with her in her career.
“So I truly support the work that you’re doing in Hudson,” Saba-Maguire said.
June Saba-Maguire’s career
Three words that Saba-Maguire used to describe herself was visionary leader, catalyst and change agent.
Saba-Maguire currently works as assistant superintendent in Brockton Public Schools’ Office of Program Development, Expansion, Engagement and Partnerships.
She has been in this position since July, but has worked in Brockton since 1994. Prior, Saba-Maguire worked as a chief academic officer and the executive director of elementary education pre-K to 5. At Huntington Elementary School, she served as both the principal and the associate principal of curriculum and instruction. She has also taught at Arnone and Whitman Elementary Schools and worked as an MCAS manager in the district.
When she thinks about work to create an anti-racist environment, Saba-Maguire said she thinks about her whole career. That kind of work is “innate” for her, and she works to help people understand what exactly it means, she said.
“I can give you the textbook definition, but that’s just not enough,” she said.
Saba-Maguire defines the term anti-racist as not an issue of people being racist, but “identifying what anti-racist practices are.”
“We talk about unconscious bias,” she said. “We talk about conscious bias— and knowing the difference.”
Her work as a principal at Huntington Elementary Schools in Brockton included supporting students with the highest needs such as English Language Learners. The faculty worked together to contribute to the success of students, especially in mathematics. The test scores went from the lowest rank to the second highest, she said.
She called working with ELL students and families the “hallmark of my career.”
In Brockton, there was an effort to welcome immigrant families and assign a peer-mentor to students to ensure they had someone with which to connect.
Saba-Maguire said families were informed of the resources available to them to help “overcome the anxiety of coming from another country.” There was also a family connection program and an English language program for the families of students.
She added, “That’s been something I think was very successful.”
Budget work
Working on the Brockton leadership team, Saba-Maguire has been “very involved in the development of the district budget.” Although it may be a supporting role, she has been “up close and personal” in the process.
“Thinking about it through the lens of a superintendent is a little different than the role that I’ve had,” she said.
Budget cuts, in her experience, begin with being given a dollar amount to cut. Saba-Maguire would then talk to stakeholders like principals to eliminate non-essential line items, which is not easy. The maintenance of a core budget that can be built back when funding improves is important, she noted.
Saba-Maguire said she saw a lot of opportunities in Hudson to work on a strategic plan and to make sure the budget is aligned with the values of the district strategic plan.
For her, the question is “how are we holding ourselves accountable?” Student needs should be met, she said, and there should be an approach to convey this to the public at large.
In developing a solid budget, she said, “The district strategic plan is critical.”
The biggest financial struggle for Hudson that she saw was projecting out potential budget shortfalls, a job she said she believed Director of Finance and Operations Dan Gale has done well for the district.
Regarding a potential major shortfall, Saba-Maguire noted the importance of not ignoring the shortfall since “you cannot underestimate the impact that has on the school system and teachers and kids and families.”
The key is to advocate for the schools with the town management and School Committee as well as other departments, she said.
Ultimately, Saba-Maguire said, “I had a wonderful day in your district. You should be proud of your schools and know that you have great folks.”
To watch the full interview and to provide feedback to the School Committee, visit https://www.hudson.k12.ma.us/important_information/superintendent_search.
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