School Committee Interviews Superintendent Candidate Susan Gilson

Report on the Joint Meeting of the Union26 and Regional School Committees, April 10, 2024

This meeting was held in person and was recorded. It can be viewed here.

Susan Gilson, Assistant Superintendent of the King Philip Regional Schools, was the first of three finalists for Superintendent of the Amherst Pelham Regional School District. She was interviewed on Wednesday, April 10 after meeting with school staff, parents, and community members on the previous day. She was also a finalist for the middle school principal position. The other two superintendent finalists were scheduled to be interviewed on April 23 and 25 respectively, after public meetings on the previous days. Joanne Menard was scheduled to be  interviewed on April 23 and E. Xiomara Herman on April 25, beginning at 7:30 p.m. All interviews will be televised on Amherst Media and recorded. 

The Regional School Committee will choose a leading candidate for the Superintendent position during a special meeting at 5:30 on Monday, April 29. 

Gilson indicated that if she were selected for both the middle school principal and superintendent positions, she would prefer the superintendent offer. 

Interview with Susan Gilson
In her self-introduction, Gilson characterized herself as a good listener with an excellent work ethic. She noted two quotes that have guided her career. The first is Margaret Mead’s oft-quoted “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” The second is from Maya Angelou: “People will forget what you said; people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Gilson said that she feels her ability to build strong relationships has served her well.

Gilson has worked in a regional school district for 21 years, and said she possesses the ability to guide multiple towns to work together in budgeting and curriculum. She holds degrees in engineering, music, curriculum and instruction, and a doctorate in Cognition and Instruction. She was one of 11 women in her engineering program and graduated at the top of her class. She said she loves a challenge, and at one time earned a license to pilot a small airplane. She stated that her comprehensive background enables her to understand diverse stakeholders at all levels. She pointed to her experience as a violinist in an orchestra, where it is necessary to hear and work with all other members during a performance.

School committee members asked Gilson how she would deal with the budget problems facing many schools this year. Gilson replied that she is licensed in business administration and is experienced in optimizing efficiencies in regional schools and looking for cost savings. She is also adept at writing and obtaining grants. She states that establishing cooperative relationships with unions, parents and local governments has enabled all stakeholders to come to budget agreements. She added that her engineering degree has made her competent in facilities repair, allowing her to work with and advise maintenance staff.

Much of the interview centered around Gilson’s experience in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. Gilson said that as one of only 11 women in her engineering program, she is aware of how it feels to be part of an inclusive environment. At King Philip, she developed a mentoring program to encourage students from underrepresented groups to attend college courses and to work with staff to help them understand issues such as microaggressions and how other actions make them feel and thus improve the school environment. She hopes this experience encourages some students to enter the teaching profession. Gilson also participates in a state-wide professional learning community group that focuses on teacher diversification through hiring practices. 

Gilson considers crisis management a special strength. She is a director of Safe and Inclusive Schools, which assists school districts in matters concerning LGBTQ students,  and is part of an established network of people in Massachusetts and throughout the country, with whom she consults regularly. She has had several positions in which she has had to stabilize school environment and performance, including, she said, directing a middle school after the whole administration had left. She stated the key is to have clear policies that are public and are adhered to and to communicate clearly with staff.

The King Philip district hired a public relations firm for $10,000 a year to promote a positive relationship between the schools and the community. The district publishes eight positive stories about what the schools are doing on its website; if there is a negative incident, Gilson said, it is important to get the facts out expeditiously and to control the narrative. She said the PR firm there reviews the information that is released so that the district is seen in the best light. She said it is important for the schools to show what they are doing to be inclusive and to keep students safe, and to share their successes with the community.

She advocates continuous teacher and staff safe-school training and inclusion, and has promoted a policy of encouraging Advanced Placement for all students at King Philip. 

Gilson said, if selected as superintendent, she would develop a strategic plan for the district and make it public so that she would be held accountable for implementing and fulfilling the plan. She is aware of the recent turmoil in the district and asked how the district is protecting itself. She said this was not clear from the district’s website. She recommends revisiting all policies and examining what the schools are doing to promote a community that is united, not divided. “Don’t hide the great things you are doing,” she said, as she handed her proposal for a strategic plan to Regional School Committee Chair Sarabess Kenney of Pelham.