HODGDON, Maine — Hodgdon Middle-High School has a new, yet familiar person filling a vacancy in the school’s main office.
Lacey McQuarrie, a teacher at Hodgdon Middle-High School, was hired Wednesday, Aug. 18, to be the district’s new HMHS administrative candidate. While not officially called the assistant principal, the hiring is intended to fill a vacancy at the high school created when former Assistant Principal Tyler Putnam resigned at the end of the school year.
The move was not without considerable criticism and some opposition from both the school board and the general public during a marathon 3.5-hour school board meeting Wednesday evening.
A group of 64 residents attended the meeting, with another 21 participating via Zoom. Many of those in attendance said they had nothing personal against McQuarrie, but questioned the process under which candidates were reviewed.
“The board has a hiring policy,” Superintendent Stephen Fitzpatrick said. “We had three candidates, all were fully qualified and met the criteria of the hiring committee. There was one candidate that was the consensus and overwhelming pick of that committee.”
The interview committee was composed of two school board members, leadership teachers in both schools and three administrators in the district.
“I facilitated that process, but I did not vote,” Fitzpatrick said. “I made sure all of the board’s policies were followed and all of the laws were followed in terms of a non-discriminatory process. I took their recommendation, vetted the individual and you see it in action tonight.
“In all of my 40 some years of education, that process was adhered to to the highest ethical standards,” he said.
Comments from the audience during Fitzpatrick’s explanation of the hiring process were critical and sometimes disparaging, claiming that the superintendent was hand-selecting the person he wanted for the position.
Many questioned why the position was advertised with one job title, but was later changed to a different job title and also how the same individual could be brought forth after reportedly withdrawing her name from consideration.
Fitzpatrick previously acknowledged he had personally erred in changing the title of the position from building administrator to administrative intern, but remained adamant that the person being recommended for the position by the hiring committee was qualified to do the job.
Putnam, who attended via Zoom, served as assistant principal at Hodgdon Middle-High School for two years before leaving to become principal at Lewiston High School this summer.
“I was hired as an assistant principal and I was certified to be an assistant principal, but I was not fully done [with courses],” Putnam said. “What it comes down to is it is really who can do the job? Who can support the kids? If the committee chose the candidate that they believe is best for the job, you would be remiss to go against what the process is.”
After considerable discussion, McQuarrie’s appointment was approved with a split 7-3 vote. Board members Jared Hand, David Harris, Curtis Harrison, Ed McGillicuddy, Tim Moore, Lynn Tuck and Ron Silliboy voted in favor of the hiring, while Matt Day, Clarissa Porter and David Wells opposed the measure.
