Westfield Public Schools Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski (WNG file photo)
WESTFIELD – Westfield Public Schools Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski will remain in his position until at least June 30, 2022, following a vote by the School Committee Monday for a new three-year employment contract to begin July 1, 2019.
School Committee member Ramon Diaz, Jr. said they wanted the Superintendent to stay in Westfield for at least another three years, which was evidenced by the work he’s been doing, the reports coming in, MCAS scores and school rankings. He said the salary increases in the contract were appropriate based on the amount of experience.
“We negotiated in good faith with the Superintendent. He understands the budget as well, and I think it came to a good conclusion. I’d like to thank the Superintendent for his work with us and for his understanding of our budget,” Diaz said.
Mayor Brian P. Sullivan said he wanted the public to know how much time was spent on the process, all with the goal of keeping the Superintendent in the district. He said they looked diligently at statistics, at neighboring communities, at years of service; all of which, with a lot of dialogue, led to a unanimous vote in executive session.
The Mayor also thanked Diaz for taking on the leadership of such an important three-year contract for the person who will be leading the teachers and the schools. “It shows the faith we have in you,” Sullivan said to Czaporowski.
“Thank you, I look forward to three more years,” Czaporowski said to applause from district staff in attendance.
“We are excited to reach agreement to terms of a new three-year contract with Superintendent Czaporowski. He is moving our schools in the right direction and is a driving force and advocate for the students in our district. In the past three years he has proven himself to be a thoughtful, driven and compassionate leader who is improving the schools. We look forward to the next three years of his leadership for our district,” Diaz said after the meeting.
“I’m happy to stay in Westfield. We’ve done a lot of great things for our students, but we have a lot more to do,” commented Czaporowski on Tuesday. He said the work on his contract first began last summer, paused, and was picked up again last month. He said the compensation package is more than fair, and is in line with surrounding communities.
“The reality is, superintendents are in high demand,” Czaporowski said. He noted that as of last July 1, there were 52 openings out of 275 superintendents across the Commonwealth.
“It’s not all about the money. It’s a job that I love because we’re helping students every day,” he said, repeating, “I’m happy to stay in the district.” Czaporowski, who formerly lived in Florence, recently bought a home in Montgomery, and now has a 12 minute commute to work, he said.
“It’s been a great experience for me, working with a very supportive School Committee and very supportive community.” He said he has been working to strengthen existing relationships and building new ones over the last two years in the position, and is looking forward to continuing that work, as well as enhancing the educational experience for all of the students in the district.
