Tim James Under Consideration For Torrington Post

Orange Supt. Tim James is being considered for a position as Interim Superintendent in Torrington. This story is from the Torrington Register Citizen Newspaper.

By MIKE AGOGLIATI

TORRINGTON – The school board will resume its search for an interim superintendent Tuesday night as the group reconvenes after interviewing six candidates in the last two weeks.

The board is looking to find a temporary replacement for Superintendent Christopher Leone, whose last day is August 12.The board meeting is at 6 p.m. at the Board of Education office.

Leone is leaving the district to take a position as Chief Operating Officer in the Bloomfield, Connecticut School District.

So far the board has interviewed local administrators Marsha Olsen, Cheryl Kloczko and Ed Arum, all of whom have served of are serving as administrators in the district.

From outside the district, the board has interviewed Timothy James, currently serving as superintendent in Orange, Connecticut; Derby Superintendent Stephen Tracy; and Christopher Eichner, a Thompson, Connecticut resident and educator.

After interviews last week, board chairman Frank Rubino said the decision will be a tough one to make.

“We had a lot of great candidates,” he said following nearly four hours of interviews and discussions.

Rubino said Monday he hopes the board will make a decision on the interim position tonight. Rubino said following a board vote, he would enter into contract discussion with the candidate.

“Everyone should be there, and it is our hope that we will be able to vote on a candidate,” Rubino said during a telephone interview. “We will choose someone before August 12.”

The next superintendent will be expected to pick up where Leone leaves off quickly, as discussions with three bargaining units are expected to take place in the coming months. The board will be negotiating contracts with the Torrington Education Association, the Administrators association (TPSAA) on salaries and benefits only and the Local 1579 AFSCME, which represents paraprofessionals and custodians, as well as other non-certified staff.

Parents and other city residents have said the district should look to hire a local candidate to lead the district, which is still facing a high high school dropout rate and low CAPT scores. The board is also facing contract negotiations with three unions this coming school year.