The finalists in the search for a new superintendent for Malden were announced on March 16. With a mayor-appointed search committee, the four initial finalists were chosen then a fifth, added on after being excluded. John Oteri, Somerville High School’s principal, Patricia Lally, Holbrook’s superintendent, Portia Bonner, East Haven’s superintendent, as well as former Malden High School principal, Dana Brown, were all included in the initial four finalists. The current interim superintendent, Charles Grandson, was not initially included in the finalists, who would be presented to the school board. He was, however, later added as a fifth candidate for the permanent superintendent position.
The process began with a search committee, chosen by Malden Mayor Gary Christenson. With fourteen applicants, the committee had to narrow them down into eight semi-finalists. These eight applicants were interviewed by the committee and then deliberated the final four applicants. Paul Degenkolb, a french teacher at Malden High, who was on the search committee says that for the most part, the deliberations among the committee had overall consensus, for the most paty. The committee made the recommendations to the school board of two men and two women applicants, in which Grandson was soon added.
Among the four finalists is Dana Brown, the former principal of Malden High School, and the most familiar candidate, who left last year, taking a job at Bunker Hill Community College.
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