Superintendent of Princeton Schools Accepts New Job in Massachusetts

Princeton's Superintendent Leaves Princeton District For Massachusetts Post

Candace Braun

Dr. Claire Sheff Kohn, superintendent of Princeton Regional School District, signed a contract Tuesday to become superintendent for the Masconomet Regional School District in Massachusetts.

Dr. Kohn will be giving her official resignation to Princeton to end her contract here on July 31. She will begin her job in Massachusetts on August 1.

The district has not yet begun to look for a replacement for the superintendent's position, said Lew Goldstein, assistant superintendent of human resources, public information, and community relations.

"We can't start looking until we receive her official resignation," he said.

The superintendent is required to give a 90-day notice before leaving her position, after which an interim superintendent will be hired, said Mr. Goldstein. Then the School Board will begin the process of finding a permanent replacement.

Dr. Kohn first announced her intent to look for a job in Massachusetts on March 1. After applying to seven different positions, Dr. Kohn was offered the position at Masconomet. She has been under contract negotiations during this past week.

The superintendent said she is moving to Massachusetts because she had previously put in 21 years as an educator there, and would retire with a better pension. She also has families ties to New England.

Masconomet Regional School District covers Boxford, Middleton, and Topsfield, Mass. Dr. Kohn was selected as the number one candidate over two other finalists, and was voted into the position by a 10-2 vote of the Masconomet School Committee, according to The Salem News.

Committee members said they favored Dr. Kohn because of her previous experience and record for passing school budgets in Princeton.

Members of the Masconomet School Committee visited Princeton early last week to meet with school and town officials regarding Dr. Kohn's reputation here. Committee members were told that she has been very successful in improving communication among the district's schools, and getting the $81.3 million construction project on all six schools in the district underway.

Dr. Kohn came to Princeton four years ago in February 2000, after serving as superintendent for Lawrence Township for seven years. She took over the position after a series of interim superintendents had worked with the School Board but were never hired on a permanent basis.

Previously Dr. Kohn served as superintendent in Hull, Mass. for five years, along with holding positions as a teacher, guidance counselor, high school assistant principal, and assistant superintendant.