Concord school officials are narrowing down candidates in their search for a new high school principal to replace Michael Reardon, who will retire at the end of the school year.
A search committee, including the superintendent, teachers, administrators, students and a school board member, conducted a first round of interviews earlier this month, according to Superintendent Kathleen Murphy.
Families will be able to meet three finalists for the principal position and ask them questions at an event at the high school Tuesday evening. The finalists are Concord High School assistant principal Tim Herbert, Wilton-Lyndeborough Middle/High School principal Sarah Edmunds and Campbell High School assistant principal Michael Perez. The candidates will meet with teachers and tour the building earlier in the day Tuesday.
“It is a very important position in the district,” Murphy said. “We want to find the best candidate that will be a good fit for Concord.”
Reardon, who has been in the role since 2019, will be retiring June 30. Reardon, who is 74, came out of retirement to become interim principal at Concord High in December 2019, following the resignation of former principal Tom Sica. Four months later, the Concord School Board approved his nomination to become principal.
Reardon said he remembers being greeted warmly by the community when he arrived, something that impacted his decision to take the job.
“I had absolutely no intention to come back to school – I had been retired for four years,” Reardon said. “But everyone was very open and supportive, so that made it that much easier to think realistically about doing this type of job again.”
He took the helm at Concord High following a difficult year that included the arrest of a teacher on sexual assault charges, and the resignation of the previous principal and superintendent. The following year brought COVID-19.
“When I think back to my time here, the thing I am most proud of is we were able to keep the school moving forward, even as all this chaos was breaking out around us,” Reardon said. “We have done really important things over the last few years.”
Among them, Reardon said he is proud of the school’s work in changing the grading policy, adding advisories, implementing restorative justice methods of discipline and creating enriching summer orientations for incoming freshmen.
When Reardon was first tapped for the principal position, he was unsure if he could take it, knowing he would have to find care for his little white poodle, Peanut. But the former interim superintendent gave the OK to “just bring him,” Reardon recalled. For the next two years, Peanut was a regular presence in the school, following at Reardon’s heels wherever he went. Peanut died in Au gust, just before the start of the new school year.
Reardon has plans to introduce his new dog – a Maltipoo named Winston – to the Concord High School community soon. Winston’s first day at school will be Nov. 21.
Reardon said he feels ready to retire, knowing the school is in good hands.
“We have three outstanding assistant principals,” Reardon said. “It makes it much easier, knowing that.”
The Concord School District’s meet the candidates event will take place in the Concord High School library on Tuesday Nov. 1 at 5:30 p.m.