Kyle A. Riley accepts his appointment as the school department’s special education director.
A tie-breaking vote cast by Mayor James J. Fiorentini led to the appointment of Kyle A. Riley Thursday night as the school department’s special education director.
Michael Malone, former interim Dighton Rehoboth Regional School District superintendent, drove up from his home in Kingston to support Riley.
Haverhill School Committee members evenly divided between Riley, of Fall River, and retired Warwick, R.I., Superintendent Richard D. D’Agostino. Fiorentini and members Scott W. Wood Jr., Shaun P. Toohey and President Maura L. Ryan-Ciardiello supporter Riley, who has served as interim director during the past year. Members Paul A. Magliocchetti, Gail M. Sullivan and Sven A. Amirian supported D’Agostino. Michael Malone, former interim Dighton Rehoboth Regional School District superintendent, drove up from Kingston to support Riley.
“He’s well thought of in his field,” Malone said of Riley. “I supervised him for a year. The biggest losers over this whole four-month affair are you students,” he said.
A third special education director candidate, Melissa J. Deyo-Silvia of Somerset, withdrew her name from consideration earlier this month. “For me it was mostly the fact the superintendent was endorsing Kyle Riley the current interim director. So immediately I was the second choice which was not ideal,” Deyo-Silvia told WHAV.
School committee members earlier this month delayed naming a special education director after all three candidates were accused of varying levels of wrongdoing. Members voted June 6 to hire an outside investigator to check the stories.
Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum Julie R. Kukenberger attended her final school committee meeting.
Haverhill School Superintendent James F. Scully said he isn’t happy about the delays that prevented Riley’s permanent appointment sooner. Scully also noted state officials looked upon Haverhill’s process disapprovingly. He vowed to use his authority under the state 1993 Education Reform Law to make another 17 appointments under his jurisdiction without the school committee’s help. “I’m going to move ahead,” he said.
Under suspension of the rules, Scully also praised Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum Julie R. Kukenberger. Kukenberger, who is leaving to become superintendent at Scarborough, Maine, public schools, declined to participate in an “exit interview” requested by Magliocchetti, Sullivan and Amirian.
How great is Jim Scully??!!
He cut right through all the political BS and told the hacks like it is that “He” is moving ahead with making decisions instead of leaving it up to the bunch of dysfunction whackjobs.
Good luck Ms. Kukenberger!!!
The SPED director position is very important to our school system. The School Committee was doing their job in taking the time necessary to check the credentials of the candidates carefully. I think that it’s good to have “new blood” on the committee. Keep up the good work, Sven & Gail!
The mayor went along with the Ryan/Wood block. He’s back in the tank with the hacks. The candidates without ties to old-time, hack Haverhill politics preferred someone else.
Wally. Do you mean Sven Amirian who is also a political hack from his dad serving multiple Mayor’s or Gail Sullivan who is a hack for the socialist party in mass?