Bristol School District Hires New Superintendent, Business Manager

The Bristol Borough School District hired a new superintendent and business manager at Wednesday’s board meeting.

Current Assistant Superintendent Thomas Shaffer, who has been with the school district for 25 years in a number of administrative roles, was hired to be the district’s new top administrator as of August 1

Shaffer’s salary will be 130,000, plus benefits. Outgoing Superintendent Gregory Wright makes $139,000. Wright was told in January the school district would not be renewing his contract.

The board voted 7-1 supporting Shaffer with School Board Director John Doyle the only dissenting vote last night.

School director Ralph DiGuiseppe Jr. III was not present for last night’s meeting.

Shaffer was among  three  finalists for the top job in the school district, School Board President Charles Groff said last night.

“Tom has been with us for over 23 years,” Groff  said. “He knows the kids, the teachers, policy, and curriculum it was the natural choice.”

Shaffer has been the district’s principal since 2011 and was recently appointed acting superintendent. He’s  been with the district for 24 years with his current salary standing at $118,000.

Attendees at the meeting hugged and congratulated Shaffer at meetings end.

“I’m excited. I’m very happy, and look forward to the challenges ahead” he said after the meeting,

One of Shaffer’s  first priorities will be putting together a new administrative team for the school district, he said.

He knows the challenges the district faces, such as balancing budgets and getting support for special education programs, he said.

Christopher McHugh was hired as the  district’s business manager at a salary of $70,000 per year, plus benefits.  The vote was 7-1. Doyle, again, voted against the hire.

Groff said there is a $60,000 savings with the hiring of the new business manager, who is replacing the retiring Joe Roe. Roe currently earns makes $121,000.

Groff explained the hiring process saying approximately 17 candidates for each position were selected from resumes sent in, which was then whittled down to three each for the two positions.  Those six candidates, he said,  were interviewed on April 30 and the recommended names being brought to the board’s executive session last night.

“Board members had two hours to go over the candidates,” Groff said. “It’s is  a lot longer then we  had to go over and approve a multimillionaire dollar teacher’s contract last year”  under the old majority where the public  couldn’t see the agreement until after it was approved by that board.”

Groff scoffed at any notion or otherwise the process was done in secrecy.

“We had an open listing for the position, interviewed the best three candidates and hired a superintendent from within. What’s so secret about that?” he asked with incredulity in his voice.

“I believe two hours is enough time. Especially when one of the candidates has been with us for over 23 years,” he said.

Shaffer who has been working closely with the curriculum committee of late said he was proud of the appointment.

School Board Vice President Kelly Cochran, a former educator in the Philadelphia School District, said  the support of the community and staff were  deciding factors in choosing Shaffer to lead the school district, but more importantly she said, “he know’s our kids, knows the parents, he knows the community, he knows Bristol, he knows what he’s doing and I think its going to be very good collaborative effort.”