Superintendent Search

Thank you for your feedback!

The ORCSD School Board Superintendent Search Committee would like to thank all staff, students, parents, guardians, and community members who completed focus group surveys and/or attended a focus group in September 2023. The committee and NESDEC received feedback from 50 focus group participants and 254 survey completions.

The information was analyzed to create a candidate profile, which was used by the Screening Committee to determine candidate assessment methods. Interviews took place in November 2023.

The School Board appointed a Screening Committee comprised of individuals from different district stakeholder groups, including administrators, staff, parents, and community. These appointments took place in October 2023. ​

The Screening Committee was charged with:

• Reviewing all applications received for the position​

• Selecting the applicants for first interviews, which will occur in November​

• Recommending candidates for further consideration by the School Board​

The Screening Committee used the Candidate Profile developed from the focus group & online survey data to develop interview questions & candidate assessment metrics.​

On October 18, 2023, the School Board affirmed the following Screening Committee members:

• School Board Members: Heather Smith, Brian Cisneros, and Tom Newkirk

• District Liaison: Catherine Plourde, Director of Student Services

• SAU Support Staff: Wendy DiFruscio, Superintendent Executive Assistant

• Building Administrator: Rebecca Noe, High School Principal

• SAU Director: Rachael Blansett, DEIJ Director

• Teachers: Carina Dolcino, Kristen Hughes, and Shawn Kelly

• Support Staff: Tyler Patrai, Mast Way Kindergarten Paraeducator

• Student: Elise Bacon

• Parents: Debby Curran and Kelly Ickes

• Community Member: Todd Selig, Town of Durham Administrator

Three candidates for the superintendent position visited the Oyster River Cooperative School District between November 30 and December 4, 2023, and the School Board provided opportunities for community members to meet the candidates.

Staff, students, parents, guardians and community members were also invited to complete candidate surveys to provide feedback, which were reviewed with careful consideration by the Screening Committee prior to making a hiring decision.