McAndrews seeks to become Amesbury's permanent superintendent

Jim Sullivan, The Daily News of Newburyport, Mass.
·3 min read

May 6—AMESBURY — Acting Superintendent Elizabeth McAndrews got a chance to tell the School Committee on Wednesday why she believes "acting" should be dropped from her title.

McAndrews was the principal of Amesbury High School when she was asked to step in as acting superintendent after Jared Fulgoni resigned in October.

The Salisbury native earned a master's degree in arts and teaching from Boston University and a bachelor's degree in history from Dartmouth College.

McAndrews served as the dean of students and athletic director in the Triton Regional School District in 2006 before moving on to become Amesbury High's assistant principal in 2011 and then principal in 2016.

McAndrews is one of three candidates, along with Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Superintendent Stephen Zadravec and Uxbridge Superintendent Frank Tiano, up for the Amesbury job. She was the last of the three to be interviewed by the committee Wednesday night.

"Although being superintendent is happening a bit earlier than I originally intended it to do, it is something that I have always wanted to do," McAndrews said.

She said her experiences as a coach, teacher, athletic director and principal have guided her in each decision she has made as acting superintendent.

"I know that the experiences I have had over the past 15 years have allowed me to grow up professionally here in Amesbury and I can't think of a better place to grow up," McAndrews said.

McAndrews admitted that while the past six months have been on-the-job training for her, she has also successfully put together three school reopening plans.

"I have built a budget with my budget team that was designed to help the kids return full, in person and be as normal as possible," McAndrews said. "This has really kind of reinvigorated me. It has inspired me to get more excited about what I do."

McAndrews stressed that communication and data, as well as providing one-to-one devices for each student, are some of her priorities. She added that the district still has plenty of work to do.

"I have the inside scoop on how to do that, so to speak," McAndrews said. "Wondering whether or not I should be a superintendent is not something that is in my head now. I know it is something that I need and want to do."

McAndrews also told the committee she has spent the past 15 years building relationships with students, parents and municipal leaders.

"We have some really awesome people here and, if we just have a shared vision and a focus moving forward, the possibilities are endless," McAndrews said.

McAndrews closed by telling the committee that although she does not have a lengthy career as a superintendent, she has spent the past 29 years working in education.

"I really would like to finish my career here," McAndrews said. "I don't go someplace for two minutes and then go someplace else. I am committed to Amesbury Public Schools. I have demonstrated that for over 15 years, the average (time) in the position is five years, so this kind of works out well."

Superintendent finalists' resumes: https://schools.amesburyma.gov/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?

moduleinstanceid=13731&dataid=19467&FileName=Finalist%20Resumes.PDF.

Staff writer Jim Sullivan covers Amesbury and Salisbury for The Daily News. He can be reached via email at jsullivan@newburyportnews.com or by phone at 978-961-3145. Follow him on Twitter @ndnsully.