New assistant superintendent to be named soon

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Naugatuck Assistant Superintendent of Schools Brigitte Crispino is retiring in June. The Board of Education expects to hire a new assistant superintendent at a special meeting to be held before the March 14 regular meeting. –RA ARCHIVE
Naugatuck Assistant Superintendent of Schools Brigitte Crispino is retiring in June. The Board of Education expects to hire a new assistant superintendent at a special meeting to be held before the March 14 regular meeting. –RA ARCHIVE

NAUGATUCK — The Board of Education plans to hire an administrator within a month who could become the borough’s next superintendent.

An 11-member committee is reviewing 20 applications to replace Assistant Superintendent of Schools Brigitte Crispino, who is retiring in June. The committee, which consists of board member James Jordan and teachers, administrators and parents, will choose two or three finalists for the full school board to interview, said Superintendent of Schools John Tindall-Gibson.

Tindall-Gibson said at a Thursday school board meeting that the board would interview the finalists and make a selection at a special meeting to be held before the March 14 regular meeting. A specific date has not yet been set, Tindall-Gibson said.

Crispino, who has worked in the school district for 38 years, was promoted to assistant superintendent two years ago to help ease the transition when Tindall-Gibson retired, as he planned to do at the end of last year. Tindall-Gibson’s contract, however, has since been extended until 2014.

“The plan is that hopefully the assistant superintendent, when the current superintendent resigns, may be able to step into that position,” said David Heller, chairman of the school board.

The new assistant superintendent will begin July 1, Tindall-Gibson said.

Tindall-Gibson said he will also make his own recommendation that the school board can consider when choosing between finalists. Two of the applicants already work in borough schools, Tindall-Gibson said.

The selection process for Crispino’s replacement is similar to that of other high-level administrators, most recently Naugatuck High School Principal Janice Saam.

The new assistant superintendent will have essentially the same job description as Crispino, who also acted as director of curriculum and instruction. The assistant superintendent also concentrates on community relations, organizing teaching staff, evaluating supervisors, developing the instructional budget and long-range planning, according to the job description.

Crispino has earned $131,000 annually as assistant superintendent.