Windsor district appoints new chief
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By PATRICK McARDLE Herald Staff - Published: February 2, 2009
CHESTER — Southwest Vermont Supervisory Union Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction David Adams accepted an offer on Thursday to become superintendent of the Windsor Southwest Supervisory Union.
Alison DesLauriers, chairwoman of the Windsor Southwest Supervisory Union, said Adams' excellent communication skills, knowledge of finance and negotiations and background in special education made him the right choice for the school district.
"Dave has shown great leadership in his school district. We think he's a great match for our district," DesLauriers said.
Adams is taking over from Superintendent Edward Brown, who retired after 10 years in the Windsor Southwest district in 2007. Since that time, another Bennington County transplant, former Pownal Elementary School Principal Joan Paustian, has served as interim superintendent.
Windsor Southwest Supervisory Union includes the Green Mountain Union High School, Flood Brook Union School, Chester-Andover Elementary School and Cavendish Town Elementary School.
Adams, who lives in Shaftsbury, is a former special education teacher who also served as dean of students and associate principal at Mount Anthony Union High School.
During his seven-year term as principal of Mount Anthony Union Middle School, Adams was the subject of a great deal of controversy
In June 2004, a citizens' group asked the Mount Anthony Union School Board to appoint an independent fact-finder to investigate the "climate" at the middle school. Some critics accused Adams of causing an exodus of teachers.
The School Board, several teachers and then-Southwest Vermont Supervisory Union Superintendent Wesley Knapp supported Adams and renewed his contract but Knapp conducted a subsequent investigation and a panel, which included Adams and a teachers' union representative, began meeting in 2005 to find ways to improve the climate.
Adams became assistant superintendent at the Southwest Vermont Supervisory Union three years ago.
Cynthia Brownell, chairwoman of the Southwest Vermont Supervisory Union School Board, said she wished Adams luck.
"He did a very good job … Anyone who worked that long for the system in this area will be missed but we don't want to hold anyone back," she said.
DesLauriers, who is also a member of the Green Mountain Union and Chester school boards, said Adams had been the unanimous choice of a committee of 13, made up of school board members, teachers, principals and community members.
After Paustian was appointed, the committee took some time off but reconvened in the fall. DesLauriers said there hadn't been any problem attracting candidates but the Vermont School Board Association helped review reference checks to whittle down the list to a dozen finalists.
According to DesLauriers, it took almost eight weeks to narrow the choices down and offer the position to Adams.
Adams, a graduate of St. Michael's College in Burlington and Fairfield University in Connecticut, is scheduled to start at Windsor Southwest Supervisory Union on July 1 with a combined salary and benefit package of $110,300.
The Southwest Vermont Supervisory Union is already short of staff after losing Knapp, who retired at the end of the 2007-08 school year. Assistant Superintendent for Special Services George Carpenter was appointed acting superintendent in March.
Adams could not be reached for comment over the weekend.
Contact Patrick McArdle at patrick.mcardle@rutlandherald.com.
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