METHUEN — While a search to replace her has yet to get off the ground, outgoing Superintendent Brandi Kwong may soon already have a job lined up when she departs the district in the summer.
Kwong, who announced her planned resignation at the beginning of the school year, has been named as one of three finalists to be superintendent of Wilmington Public Schools. The 24-year veteran of Methuen Public Schools is up against Patricia Haynes, an assistant superintendent at Portsmouth Public Schools in New Hampshire and Matthew Poska, an assistant superintendent working at the Nashua School District in New Hampshire.
Kwong has yet to express much publicly about her decision to leave the district after serving as superintendent for seven years but exits amid high praise from many and some criticism, chiefly from one member of the school committee.
While the district has faced many challenges during her tenure, including financial uncertainty, high vacancies and a student population with growing special needs, School Committee meetings have been growing more charged and combative in recent months especially in the weeks preceding the local election.
The three Wilmington superintendent candidates were presented during a meeting of the Wilmington School Committee last week by a representative from the Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC), which has been guiding their search.
MASC Field Director Alicia Mallon said the search committee had been unanimous in their decision to move forward with three people. The process had begun with 17 candidates who were then whittled down to seven and now three.
According to local school officials, the MASC is currently helping 15 districts conduct superintendent searches and will likely not have the resources to assist Methuen.
Meanwhile, the School Committee is about to take its first step in a process to replace her with officials scheduling a special meeting to determine what the district is looking for from a potential search contractor in the next week or two.
Much of the recent discussion by the committee on the issue has been regarding the timing of the search, with some officials highlighting a need to begin it promptly to find a candidate before Kwong leaves and others who want the incoming committee members, who will be sworn in next year, to be involved throughout the process.
During a meeting Monday, director of Human Resources Colleen McCarthy said superintendent searches typically take three to five months, and school administrators are often hired in February or March when contracts are locked in.
“I am afraid if we continue to have discussions and not act we are putting our district in jeopardy,” said School Committee member May Beth Donovan-Grassi.
Member Ryan DiZoglio said he would like to bring the two newly elected committee members into the process, before the officials begin their role next year.
The Wilmington School Committee will vote on their preferred candidate on Nov. 25. If chosen, Kwong would replace David Thomson, who was selected to serve as interim superintendent for the ongoing school year.
According to state data, 2,756 students are enrolled in the Wilmington school district whereas 6,464 students attend Methuen Public Schools.
Kwong holds a masters degree in science curriculum from Boston University and a doctorate in education from UMass Lowell, according to her LinkedIn.