Sheffield — The School Committee of the Southern Berkshire Regional School District (SBRSD) in Sheffield has selected Beth Regulbuto, Associate Superintendent of Schools with the Hampden-Wilbraham School District, to lead the District as the next superintendent. The decision to offer a contract to Regulbuto was made at the committee’s March 2 meeting.
Regulbuto has been with the Hampden-Wilbraham School District in an administrative capacity since 2007, and was appointed associate superintendent in July 2016. It is expected that negotiations between the School Committee and Regulbuto will conclude rapidly and a contract will be brought to the School Committee for ratification within a few weeks.
Regulbuto, who holds both a Masters of Education from Endicott College and a Bachelor of Science degree from Central Connecticut State University was one of two finalists for the position; a total of 21 candidates submitted resumes. Prior to her administrative work at Hampden-Wilbraham, Regulbuto spent more than three decades teaching early childhood and performing arts in various performing arts academies and performance studios in the Northeast.
“It will be an honor to work closely with the School Committee, teachers and administrators, students, parents and community members to help lead the Southern Berkshire Regional School District into its next phase,” stated Regulbuto. “I’m drawn to the unmitigated enthusiasm of the people I’ve met since I first came to interview in January and am so impressed with the quality of the team of leaders here. I look forward to getting to work this summer on the full range of issues ahead of us building on the great strengths of the District.” Regulbuto will start her new role on July 1, 2017 upon the retirement of David Hastings at the conclusion of the school year. Hastings has held the position of superintendent since July 2013.
Of Regulbuto’s appointment, Hastings stated: “I am confident that I will be leaving the district in wonderful hands with Beth and I believe that the district’s administrators, staff, parents and students will find her a delight to work with. I am looking forward to working closely with her as she transitions into her new position.” Hastings, who earns a salary of $123,000, announced in the fall he would retire at the end of the school year.
Carl Stewart, chair of the School Committee, stated: “We are thrilled that Beth Regulbuto has emerged from our rigorous search process as our next superintendent.” He went on to add, “My colleagues and I are happy to have chosen someone who we believe is extremely well-prepared to face some of the complicated issues in our district. We look forward to welcoming Beth to the area in July and getting right to work.”
Some of these complicated issues to which Stewart alludes center around the elementary schools. Unusually high turnover in the position of principal, at the district’s Undermountain Elementary School, has been an issue to plague the district for the past decade. Mary Truro, who was appointed in July 2016, has been the school’s fourth leader in as many years. The district’s Monterey school, which up until last year provided both an early and regular kindergarten program, is currently closed due to lack of enrollment. Operation of the town’s one-room schoolhouse — one of just three in the state — was considered by many to be invaluable in this dark education era of testing and state mandates. In this same vein, last spring saw a swell in South County parents opting their children out of the controversial PARCC end-of-year assessments and made way for the Berkshire County Opt-Out movement for which much attention was garnered.
SBRSD educates close to 700 students pre K – grade 12 from the towns of Alford, Egremont, New Marlborough, Monterey and Sheffield. It has a main campus in Sheffield and schools in New Marlborough and South Egremont. Its budget in 2016-2017 is $15,864,000 and its mission is to prepare students for the challenges of global citizenship in a rapidly changing and increasingly competitive world. SBRSD is committed to creating an environment for learning that advances intellectual growth, creative thinking, relationships, and ethical behavior.
