Swansea school committee votes unanimously on new school superintendent
SWANSEA — Scott Holcomb, principal at Taunton High School, has been selected as the town's next superintendent of schools.
At a school committee meeting at the police department's community room on Thursday night, the committee voted 5-0 in favor of Holcomb, choosing him over the other two finalists, Joseph Case Junior High School principal Robert Silveira and Craig Levis, an educational consultant and the former superintendent and assistant superintendent in Coventry, Rhode Island.
Holcomb's hiring is contingent upon successful contract negotiations which would be held, in executive session, at a future special meeting.
Holcomb, 50, has been the principal of Taunton High School since 2021. Before that, he was superintendent at North Attleboro from 2017 to 2021, and assistant superintendent from 2014 to 2017. He began his career as a high school science teacher in Bellingham in 1996.
Who was in the running: Swansea meets three school superintendent candidates.
Holcomb looking forward to new role
“I'm elated. I'm thankful. I'm very happy,” Holcomb said on Friday afternoon. “I think I have the demonstrated skill set the community is looking for. I think they see me as a servant leader.”
Prior to voting on the superintendent position, the school committee on Thursday conducted final interviews with the three finalists. There was no executive session and no community input, though the school committee had received questions and input from this past Tuesday's community night at the Hoyle School.
John Robidoux leaving role
Superintendent John Robidoux announced in an Oct. 30, 2023, meeting that he would not seek to renew his contract when it expires on June 30. At the time, he cited a difficult work environment with the town School Committee.
After the interviews and before the vote, all five committee members said they were impressed with Holcomb's experience as a superintendent and said such experience was important, allowing him, as committee member Sonya Barbosa said, “to hit the ground running.”
Experience in career and tech funding a boon
Several committee members said they were also impressed with Holcomb's knowledge of Chapter 74 career and technology education funding. Holcomb said he would explore pursuing Chapter 74 funding for both the high school and junior high school.
As superintendent in North Attleboro, Holcomb wrote the Statement of Interest (SOI) to the Massachusetts School Building Authority, starting the process of the town getting state funds for a new or renovated high school.
Holcomb said that upon starting the job as Swansea superintendent, he would institute a 90-day entry plan where he would connect with the town community as a whole to gauge what Swansea wants from its school department.
What is Scott Holcomb's background?
A graduate of Bishop Feehan High School, the 6-foot-7 Holcomb grew up in Attleboro, near Route 118, close to the Rehoboth line. He recalls hanging out at the Swansea Mall back in the day. Holcomb still lives in that area, about a 20-minute ride to the Swansea superintendent's office, he said.
This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Swansea's school committee selects Scott Holcomb
