Subject:  Mullin claims he wants to spend more time w/family & then stiffed The Sun on further comment |
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Duplicate Dawg
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Date Posted: 07:41 11/05/09 Thu
In reply to:
Duplicate Dawg
's message, "Spencer Mullin calls it quits just after 1 year as Dracut's School Superintendent" on 16:05 11/04/09 Wed
(published in, Lowell Sun, 11-5-09)
Mullin out in Dracut
By Erin Smith
esmith@lowellsun.com
DRACUT -- Shocked school officials said they were blindsided by Superintendent of Schools W. Spencer Mullin's abrupt decision to resign yesterday.
Mullin, who has only been in his job for about a year, sent a one-sentence certified letter to School Committee Chairman Matthew Sheehan notifying him that he will retire from the school system's top post March 3.
Before being named superintendent, Mullin, 58, worked in public education for more than 35 years. He spent more than 25 years as a teacher, high-school vice principal and junior-high principal in Dracut.
"It was unfortunate," said Sheehan yesterday. "I woke up this morning thinking today was going to be a good day, but then I got a resignation letter in my mailbox. We were finally starting to get on the straight and narrow and make progress. It's a complete curveball."
Mullin, who earns $130,000 annually, didn't return a phone call for comment, and his secretary said he wouldn't meet with a Sun reporter who stopped by his office.
Sheehan said no one asked Mullin to resign and Mullin never indicated to the committee before yesterday that he was thinking about resigning. Sheehan said Mullin's contract requires him to give the School Committee at least 120 days notice for a resignation.
In a two-page press release, Mullin said he is retiring to spend more time with his family, thanked parents and staff for their support and highlighted his accomplishments, including initiatives to reduce the dropout rate, 55 new computers at the high school and a push for a feasibility study to explore renovating or rebuilding the high school.
"I just don't think he felt real comfortable as a superintendent and at some point you just get to thinking the stress isn't worth it," said School Committee member Bonnie Elie, who said she never personally had an argument with Mullin. "I wish him the best of luck. It'll be hard to fill that position in the middle of the school year."
School Committee members all said Mullin never indicated he had any intention of leaving his position. But a rift between the schools governing body and Mullin had become more apparent in recent months after the School Committee released the superintendent's annual review. Only two of the five current committee members were on the board one year ago when Mullin was hired.
In the review, Mullin received good marks on understanding of school programs and commitment to students, but his scores were much lower for not communicating well with School Committee members, parents and the media.
Mullin seemed to take the criticism in stride and last month told The Sun that his first year as superintendent had been a learning experience. He said he felt he handled his various challenges, such as swine flu and budgeting issues, well.
School Committee member Mike McNamara said he sent an e-mail to Mullin shortly after he learned about the resignation and asked him to consider staying for the rest of the school year. Mullin sent a reply e-mail declining to stay on the job past March 3, according to McNamara.
"I'm just surprised, a little shocked and disappointed," said School Committee member Ron Mercier, who said he learned of Mullin's resignation yesterday morning from Sheehan. "I thought he was going to be here for a while."
Mercier said the School Committee could start a search for a new superintendent as early as its next meeting on Monday.
Mullin signed a three-year contract to take over as superintendent from Elaine Espindle July 1, 2008. Espindle had been on the job for 10 years. She had replaced Christos Daoulas, who had been at the helm of Dracut's school system for 37 years.
School Committee member Mike Miles did not immediately return a call for comment.
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