Schools

Wilmington Could Have Next Superintendent Thursday Night

Final interviews with candidates are underway and Joanne Benton's replacement could be named during a Thursday meeting.

Final interviews are underway as the School Committee aims for Thursday in naming Wilmington's next Superintendent of Schools replacing Joanne Benton, who is retiring this year.

Mary Lou Bergeron was in town on Tuesday night, the first of three candidates to share their vision for the district during a public question and answer session. Bergeron is currently the Assistant Superintendent of Administration, Reporting and Compliance in Lawrence.

Next up to be interviewed are Michael LaCava, the principal at Harrington Elementary School in Chelmsford, and Mary DeLai, the Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Administration in Reading.

The Lowell Sun reported that School Committee chairman Peggy Kane and board member Kathleen Carroll have each recused themselves from the vote because they have daughters who work in the school district.

As a refresher, below is a look at the background of each remaining superintendent candidate, provided by the Wilmington School Committee:

  • Dr. Mary Lou Bergeron is the Assistant Superintendent for Administration, Compliance, and Reporting for the Lawrence school district. Bergeron has a BS from Wheelock College, a Master’s in Education from Boston College, a CAES (Certificate of Advanced Educational Specialization) from Boston College and a Ph.D from Northeastern University. Bergeron grew up and has worked for thirty years in the city of Lawrence.
  • Mary DeLai is the Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Administration for Reading Public Schools. DeLai holds a BA from St. Michael’s College and a Master’s of Education from Duke University, with a focus on Environmental Management of Resource Economics. DeLai worked for many years in many different capacities for Reading Public Schools, most recently as the assistant superintendent, but for numerous years as the director of finance and operations.
  • Michael LaCava is currently the principal at the Harrington Elementary School in Chelmsford, Massachusetts. LaCava earned his BA from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and his Master’s in education from Fitchburg State. LaCava was named principal of the Harrington Elementary School in 2011. LaCava has worked in the field of Education since 1992, where he came to Chelmsford and worked as a music teacher. 
Check back with Wilmington Patch on Thursday night for more information on Wilmington's next superintendent as the details become available.


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