BRISTOL — The Addison Northeast Supervisory Union (ANeSU) Tuesday evening hired a new superintendent to replace Evelyn Howard, who will step down this summer after 12 years on the job.
David Adams, current superintendent of Windsor Southwest Supervisory Union, will take over ANeSU’s top executive post on July 1. Adams will bring with him more than three decades of education experience, ranging from assistant superintendent of Vermont Southwest Supervisory Union in Bennington to principal of Mount Anthony Union Middle School in Bennington.
“I’m excited to be a part of the supervisory union and get started,” Adams said on Wednesday. “The (public) meeting (last week) was well attended and the community represented itself very well, and it’s very clear to me that this community is interested in bringing out the full potential of its education system.”
Although the final contract has yet to be signed, both ANeSU and Adams have agreed to a three-year contract with an annual salary of $112,400 plus benefits.
According to education consultant Robert Stevens, who is working with the Addison Central Supervisory Union on its superintendent search, the annual salaries of Vermont superintendents range from $49,996 in Battenkill Valley to $140,000 in Norwich’s SAU 70 district.
In less than two months, a 15-person ANeSU search committee worked with the ANeSU board to hire the new superintendent. Led by consultant Ray Proulx, the 18 applicants were whittled down to three: Adams, Bristol Elementary School Principal Catrina Dinapoli and former Franklin Northwest Supervisory Union Superintendent Douglas Harris. The three candidates met last week with 137 community members and then with the ANeSU board.
Using job expectations that were compiled from community members, staff and local school boards, the search committee and ANeSU board sought to objectively evaluate the candidates, said Proulx. Nancy Cornell, ANeSU associate superintendent, said that it was tough decision, and the supervisory union is glad to have Adams on board.
“We had three great finalists and they were all great candidates, but we’re thrilled with the choice,” she said.
Reporter Andrew Stein is at [email protected].