The New England School Development Council (NESDEC) Currents Newsletter is a recap of our Executive Searches, Affiliate Job Postings, Enrollment and Planning & Management Team Updates, and Professional Development Offerings, as well as items of interest.

"To assist schools and districts in becoming high-performing organizations and to support

continuous educational improvement."

NESDEC Mission Statement

I hope all of you have made a successful transition from summer to another school year. Despite the challenges you face as school and district leaders, you have worked hard to open your buildings and districts to welcome your staff, students, and parents into the school community for another year - no easy task in today’s educational environment.

Each school year brings with it new obstacles and barriers that are well beyond the control of school leaders. You are leaders in an environment shaped by national events, legislative mandates, local government decisions, public school funding concerns, the need to maintain staff levels, and the never-ending struggle with social media, all of which are out of your hands. The instability of the educational environment makes it extremely difficult to plan for. You can strategize for one situation, and in a matter of minutes everything changes and you need to switch gears.

When talking with school leaders I hear phrases like, “I adjusted on the fly” or “We are building the plane as we go.” I’ve used these phrases myself at times. It's the result of school leaders demonstrating the ability to be flexible and adapt to an environment that seems to always be in flux. It’s not that you weren’t prepared; the situation changed, and you needed to adjust. This skill set often goes unrecognized by your stakeholders.

To support NESDEC’s mission, I recognize that we need to demonstrate the same flexibility and adaptability to support your work in the districts. As your needs change, it is my hope that we as an organization can support you. There will be a new focus from NESDEC, shifting from asking district leaders to fit our process of completing work to adapting our process to meet their needs. I recognize that any change is difficult, but I see this shift in our philosophy as a necessity to stay relevant as an organization. 

A prominent mentor in my life once said, “Remember, we work for them.” It was one of many philosophical ideals Dr. Paul Dakin, superintendent of Revere Public Schools, established as practice in his district. It is my hope to build that philosophy and replicate the practice at NESDEC. We want NESDEC to be the organization you turn to when in need, we want to hear what you may need, and the goal would be to assist as you “adjust on the fly.”

Dave 

The NESDEC Enrollment Projection Team has been busy preparing for our annual update of affiliate enrollment projections.

On Wednesday, October 1, 2025, all NESDEC affiliates in good standing will receive an email with information on how to submit SY 2025-26 data. If your district has had any personnel changes since Fall of 2024 and wants to be added to our EP mailing list, please contact ep@nesdec.org before September 24, 2025.

If your district is not an affiliate and would like to learn more about our Enrollment Projections, please contact our office at nesdec@nesdec.org or call 508-481-9444.

As part of our mission to help schools achieve and sustain high performance, NESDEC provides superintendents of affiliated districts with a valuable resource: the Special Education Trend Report. This annual report—offered at no cost to NESDEC affiliates—serves as a special education management tool designed to synthesize key data into clear, actionable insights. It offers meaningful comparison points to support superintendents and educational leaders in making informed decisions about student placements, staffing, and special education expenditures. Modeled after our widely used enrollment projection reports, the Special Education Trend Report reflects our commitment to data-driven planning and continuous improvement. If you would like to see a sample Special Education Trend Report, there is one available on our website HERE.

Our Annual Special Education Reporting Service will begin on Wednesday, November 5, 2025.

If your district has had any personnel changes since Fall 2024 and would like to be added to our SPED mailing list, please contact sped@nesdec.org by October 29th.

If your district is not an affiliate and would like to learn more about our Special Education Trend Reporting, please contact our office at nesdec@nesdec.org or call 508-481-9444.

NESDEC Executive Opportunities Page

Please click the button below to browse our Current Executive Searches and create a search profile with us:

SAU #54

ROCHESTER, NH

SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS

The School Board of the Rochester School Department (SAU #54) invites innovative and highly qualified candidates to apply for the position of Superintendent of Schools. The position offers the opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of students. Rochester Public Schools is prepared to offer a regionally competitive salary and benefits package to a leader with exceptional credentials, accomplishments, and promise. The application deadline is COB on September 22, 2025. The expected start date for the new Superintendent is July 1, 2026.  

NAUGATUCK PUBLIC SCHOOLS

NAUGATUCK, CT

SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS

The Naugatuck Board of Education seeks dynamic and effective leaders as candidates for its Superintendent of Schools position. The Naugatuck Search Committee is in the process of engaging its stakeholders in a comprehensive needs assessment survey that will help prioritize the qualities, characteristics, skills, and experiences most desired in its next superintendent. The projected salary package for the position is $220,000 - $245,000, depending on the qualifications and experiences of the successful candidate. The application deadline is September 29, 2025. The anticipated start date for the new superintendent is on or about January 1, 2026.

Upcoming Searches

GREENFIELD PUBLIC SCHOOLS

GREENFIELD, MA

SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS

SAU #52

PORTSMOUTH, NH

PRINCIPAL, PORTSMOUTH HIGH SCHOOL

If your district is a NESDEC affiliate, we will post your administrator job openings for district-conducted searches at any level, including district-level administrator, building principal, and assistant principal.



We are always adding new jobs. Follow the link below to view the current job postings from our affiliated districts:



Affiliate Job Postings

Any NESDEC affiliated districts who are interested in posting a job with us are asked to complete this form with the job posting details.

Superintendents across New England are working hard to navigate real constraints while keeping student success at the center of their work. NESDEC encourages superintendents to complete the Voices of Leadership survey, a confidential, 10-minute opportunity to share what’s working in your district, the barriers you face, and the conditions that help you move forward. The survey is focused on district priorities, change efforts, barriers, and what’s enabling or constraining leaders’ success. We’ve reviewed the survey and believe it’s a legitimate, useful effort to elevate superintendent perspectives across New England.

This effort is conducted by the Center on Reinventing Public Education (ASU) and administered by the Center for Survey Research (UMass Boston), with support from the Barr Foundation. Your perspective will help shape supports across our state and the region—and you’ll receive a $50 gift card for completing the survey, as well as a report with the survey results when they are available.

The survey is launching on September 29, 2025, so please keep an eye out for an email from Ebony Haley. It will be live through October 31.

If you have questions for the researchers, you may contact Michael Berardino at michael.berardino@asu.edu.

NESDEC | www.nesdec.org