New Supt. Priya Tahiliani has been very visible around Everett this month after being chosen by the School Committee as the new superintendent in December, and now she is officially under contract.
In a unanimous vote on Thursday, Jan. 16, the School Committee ratified the contract ironed out by Committee Attorney Robert Galvin.
School Committee Chair Tom Abruzzese said the vote went well, including discussions in private, executive session.
“The discussions went good in executive session, and we voted unanimously for the contract in open session,” he said. “The hope is that Mrs. Gauthier stays around and helps her get acclimated. I know Mrs. Gauthier wants to stay until the end of June. Priya is going to have to learn her way around and get to know people and hopefully Mrs. Gauthier will assist her in getting to know the lay of the land.”
Interim Supt. Gauthier did not immediately return a call for comment Tuesday.
On Friday, Supt. Tahiliani tweeted on her social media page that she had signed the contract.
“It is with profound pleasure that I just signed this (contract),” she tweeted. “I feel honored to have been chosen to serve the great city of Everett.”
The details of her contract were not immediately available, as City officials said the document had not yet been officially returned.
One key component of the document is that Supt. Tahiliani will start on March 1. Most School Department contracts begin on July 1 after the end of the school year and at the beginning of the City’s fiscal year. However, School Committee members were pushing to have her start earlier and get acclimated to Everett while school is in session. Then, in September, she would be able to hit the ground running with the new school term.
That wish was granted in the contract, as she starts a full four months ahead of the fiscal year.