For Immediate Release

Thursday, Dec. 13, 2018

Contact: Benjamin Paulin
Phone: 781-428-3299
Email: ben@jgpr.net

Stoughton Superintendent Search Committee Identifies Finalists

STOUGHTON — The Stoughton Schools Superintendent Search Committee is pleased to announce four finalists for the superintendent position, which will be vacated by Superintendent Marguerite Rizzi upon her retirement at the end of the school year.

The finalists are former East Haven, Connecticut Superintendent Portia Selene Bonner, Monomoy Regional High School Principal William E. Burkhead, Sharon Public Schools Assistant Superintendent for Information Systems and Administration John Marcus and Stoughton High School Principal Juliette Miller.

“Each of these individuals has a unique background and set of experiences that would serve the district well,” School Committee Chair Molly Cochran said. “I know the whole School Committee looks forward to evaluating and meeting with the candidates to determine which one would be the best fit for our district in the years to come.”

Bonner served as the superintendent of the East Haven Public Schools from 2013-2017, and previously served as superintendent in New Bedford. She has worked in education since 1990, serving as an adjunct professor, teacher and administrator. She currently works as an independent consultant. Bonner holds a bachelor’s degree from Skidmore College, a master’s degree in biology from Purdue University and a doctorate degree in philosophy, curriculum and instruction from the University of Connecticut.

Burkhead has served as the principal of Monomoy Regional High School in Harwich since 2014, and has previously served as an administrator and athletic director in Plymouth and New Bedford. He began his career as a physical education teacher in Franklin before serving in similar roles in Kingston and Canton. During his career in Plymouth, he also served as the district’s head football coach, and was named the 2018 Massachusetts High School Principal of the Year. Burkhead holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Springfield College, and a certificate of advanced graduate study in educational leadership from Bridgewater State University.

Marcus has worked as an administrator at the elementary and district levels in multiple districts, including Stoughton and Sharon. He gained his classroom teaching experience at the Milton Academy, Bridgewater State University, Camp Academy in Stoughton, Zervas School in Newton and the Martin Luther King Jr. Open School in Cambridge. Marcus holds a bachelor’s degree from Tufts University, a master’s degree from Harvard University and a doctorate degree from Lesley University.

Miller first worked in the Stoughton Public Schools beginning in 2001, when she started as a math teacher at Stoughton High School. Prior to starting that role, she worked as a math teacher and math, science and business director at St. Clare High School in Roslindale. She took on the role of high school mathematics director in 2003, in addition to her teaching duties, and departed to serve as an administrator at King Philip Regional High School and later Apponequet Regional High School. She returned to Stoughton in her current role in 2012. Miller holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Siena College, a master’s degree in secondary education from UMass Boston and a certificate of advanced graduate study from Bridgewater State University.

The Superintendent Search Committee consists of 11 members who represent a cross-section of the Stoughton school community, including current and former administrators, individual school council members and a representative from the Stoughton Teachers Association.

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