NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The School Committee on Thursday unanimously selected Timothy Callahan to lead the North Adams Public Schools. 

 

Callahan, currently assistant superintendent, will replace Barbara Malkas on her retirement at the end of the school year. 

 

His appointment, pending contract negotiations, came after a public interview by the School Committee at City Hall during which he was asked 20 questions, a number of which were from or informed by community input. 

 

They ranged from academics to security to federal funding to equity to bullying to community involvement. Callahan easily expounded upon his experiences and vision for the school district for more than 90 minutes. 

 

He laughed at the end when Mayor Jennifer Macksey asked if he would to make a closing statement in "five minutes or less."

 

"As you can tell, I can talk about this stuff all night," he said. "I really love what I do."

 

The former Drury High principal was the only candidate put forward out of 13 applications. 

 

Macksey, chair of the committee, said the search committee conducted virtual interviews with five candidates, including one superintendent, three assistant superintendents and one principal with superintendent licensure. The committee had been required to forward two candidates.

 

"The committee was unable to recommend a second candidate as Dr. Callahan's qualification experience and interview performance significantly outshone the others," she said, in addition to his intimate knowledge of the schools and the district. 

 

Because he was the lone candidate, the committee had been advised by the Massachusetts Association of School Committees and its attorney to void the external search, and vote to conduct an internal review. 

 

The School Committee, with member Cody Chamberlain not in attendance, voted to do so. Student representative Jane Bergeron participated in asking questions. 

 

Callahan said he's dedicated his life to the North Adams Public Schools. He was a training store manager for the former Kay-Bee Toys but quit because it wasn't fulfillng. 

 

"I didn't know what that meant at the time," he said. He started teaching literature at Drury around 1998 and "it became so apparent that working with students, helping students achieve their goals, working with my colleagues, just focusing on education as a way of life was so meaningful to me in a way that I had not felt in my previous career."

 

Since then, he's held a number of leadership positions and, since 2022, assistant superintendent of curriculum, instruction and assessment. 

 

He was a finalist for the superintendency in Central Berkshire Regional School District (withdrawing last week) and had been offered the principalship at Nessacus Middle School the same time as Drury High. 

 

Callahan said his heart was here, but was intrigued with what Nessacus might offer.

 

"I've dedicated my life to North Adams. Is this good, should I make a switch?" the Lanesborough native had asked his son, then in ninth grade. "He said to me, 'finish what you started.' And that was really powerful."

 

He spoke at length about ongoing strategies an initiatives in the school system, including removing barriers to coursework that's resulted in a dramatic increase in taking Advanced Placement tests, the high shool summits to hear from students that is now working its way into the lower grades, and a cell-phone ban that's reduced disciplinary incidents by 75 percent.

 

"There was an intentionality to dismantle inequitable systems creatively and collaboratively," he said. "As a leader, I bring that to my team.  ... A lot of the solutions require creative, creativity and different approaches. And so I look for that in my team. I embody that in my work, in everything I do."

 

In terms of engagement and future goals, Callahan noted that the district had conducted surveys with families, students, teachers and staff who overwhelmingly identified two priorities: well-being of students, social-emotional learning and mental health supports and ensuring high expectations for student learning with effective curricula. 

 

"That stakeholder input informed those decisions that are being made," he said. "And that's the kind of process that I'd like to continue to replicate and check in and update our reporting and data to the community."

 

He and district leadership would establish a clear vision for the next two years and what could be accomplished in one. He also acknowledged the potential for federally funded programs to be cut and the difficult decisions that would have to be made.

 

Callahan stressed his committment to equity and inclusion and cultural sensitivity, citing his experiences within his own family — his wife is a first generation immigrant and his youngest child is transgender, nonbinary. 

 

Equity and inclusion have become more controversial in the current political climate but North Adams is not stepping back. 

 

"We're addressing it head on. First of all, as a district, we believe in equity, and we believe in equity of access and equity of outcomes, and any historically marginalized populations, we're going to make sure they get what they need to be successful, not just access, but outcomes," he said. "It's not about just inviting them to the parties, making sure they're inclusion in the party and welcomed and they feel like they belong, and can be successful. ...

 

"The way I see it, there are different opinions and different perspectives and clashing values, but when one set of values is aligned with bigotry and exclusion, that's not the set of values I will support, and I think we take a strong stand against those values and in favor of the values of inclusion and equity."

 

Macksey said all the candidates were wonderful, "but we have something really good here in Dr. Callahan. It's so important that we set an example for our staff, that there is advancement in municipal work, and there is advancement in education."

 

School Committee member Alyssa Tomkowicz said passionate students come from passionate educators.

 

"I think that you definitely fit the mold of what I've seen to be successful educators that create successful students going off to college," she said.

 

School Committee member Richard Alcombright recalled Callahan's work when he had been mayor. 

 

"I have continued to be both impressed and thankful for the work that you do for the students in the district," he said. "You have been, and I know you will continue to be, the hope, the promise, the champion for success for every student in the north public schools. And I'm happy to be here tonight. 

 

"Your son gave me a closing line. I'm happy to be here tonight to see you continue to finish what you have started, sir."

 

The interview was also recorded by Northern Berkshire Community Television.