By Cary Shuman
The Saugus-Everett Elks Lodge honored Supt. of Everett Schools William Hart at its Irish Night Dinner March 13 at Elks Hall in Saugus.
A capacity crowd of EPS school administrators, city officials, and friends joined Elks members and guests in honoring Mr. Hart for his longtime and distinguished career in the field of education.
Sen. Sal DiDomenico, Rep. Joseph McGonagle, and Ward 5 Councilor Robert Van Campen presented citations to Hart during the impressive program.
Following his Supt. William Hart’s biography:
William Hart was appointed Superintendent of the Everett Public Schools (EPS) in December of 2023, culminating a distinguished career in educational leadership and civic engagement. He oversees one of the most diverse districts in Massachusetts, one that is home to more than 7,400 students and 1,300 employees.
During the first 14 months of his tenure, Mr. Hart successfully negotiated union contract extensions with five collective bargaining units, rebuilt trust among faculty, professional staff, and central administration, and reestablished a working relationship with Everett City Hall. He has reenergized Central Administration, creating and restoring critical education, financial, and human resource functions that enable the EPS to focus on one thing above all others: To best serve our students and their success.
Since occupying the Superintendent’s Office, Mr. Hart has immersed himself in the Everett Public Schools, working tirelessly to build relationships with families, visit schools and classrooms, attend events, and represent the district’s interests with city and state leaders and among multiple stakeholders.
Mr. Hart, who continues to call Everett his hometown, joined the EPS after decades spent establishing himself as a nationally-recognized leader in higher education. He served as the Chief Executive Officer for the Massachusetts Community Colleges from 2009-2019, during which time he worked with 15 college presidents and 165 trustees. During his tenure, he advanced and expanded the community college mission and secured $64 million in state and federal grants, in addition to annual state appropriations, all of which directly benefited campuses.
He was the Deputy Director for Massachusetts Community Colleges from 2004-2009. Prior to that, he was Vice President of Communications and Assistant to the President for Public Affairs at Bunker Hill Community College. During his career, Mr. Hart has served on a variety of public policy committees, task forces, educational institutes on the state and local level, as well as civic and charitable organizations.
Mr. Hart taught multiple courses across various academic disciplines, including history, government, and politics at Bunker Hill from 1992 to 2009. In the classroom, he adapted his teaching style to engage a myriad of diverse student learners from various educational levels and backgrounds.
During his career, Mr. Hart has been a tireless public servant, fulfilling various leadership roles under four Everett mayors, most recently as the Chair of the Board of Assessors and previously as Chair of the Parks Commission. He is a former president and longtime member of the Everett Chamber of Commerce. He was an Everett City Councilor from 1981-1985 and a School Committee member from 1988-1995, serving as chairperson in 1994. Mr. Hart also received gubernatorial appointments from Deval Patrick and Charlie Baker.