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CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Sandra J. Cote, currently the principal of Greylock School in North Adams, has been named to lead Clarksburg School.
The longtime educator replaces Tara Barnes, who was hired as the director of pupil services for the Northern Berkshire School Union.
"We are excited to have an educator with over 30 years experience for years as a principal," said Superintendent John Franzoni on Tuesday. "Sandy and I worked together when I was dean of students at Greylock School for three years and we both are graduates of North Adams' Drury High School and we've known each other since we were very young.
"I respect her as an educator and she'll be a great addition to Clarksburg."
Cote has been principal of Greylock since 2003, after teaching in the North Adams school system for 15 years.
Franzoni said the school staff was notified of the hiring on Monday before it became public. Cote has agreed to a three-year contract that is expected to be signed by the end of the week.
The superintendent said the school received "four very qualified candidates" who were interviewed by a committee that included himself, School Committee Chair Laura Wood, teachers Cathy Howe, Mark Karhan, Colette Klein and Mary Quinto and Information Technology Director Joshua Arico. Cote was one of two finalists.
"We've been very fortunate the last two years to replace two veteran principals that did a great job ... with two other veterans," Franzoni said. "Dr. [Martin] McEvoy up in Florida and now Sandy in Clarksburg, that's really I think, a good sign for our district that we're getting such high-quality applicants for the principal positions."
McEvoy started at Gabriel Abbott Memorial School on July 1 last year, replacing Heidi Dugal, who had been principal for 13 years and a teacher for 15 years prior. McEvoy had been principal of Lanesborough Elementary School and of Herberg Middle School in Pittsfield, and vice principal at Hoosac Valley High School in Cheshire, and did a year's stint as a superintendent in Hatfield.
Greylock School is expected to close within the next several years if a renovation project at Brayton School is successful. Cote is currently a member of the School Building Committee.
While Clarksburg is gaining a principal, North Adams is losing another administrator. Brayton Principal Carrie Wallace is retiring at the end of the school year and Assistant Superintendent Kimberly Roberts-Morandi has accepted the position of superintendent of schools in Sutton.