By Josh Resnek
If all goes according to School Committee plans, Everett will have two superintendents serving the public school system at the same time when Priya Tahiliani takes over on March 1.
The plan, apparently, is for acting superintendent Janice Gauthier to remain in her position side by side with Tahiliani until school lets out late in June.
“Many people inside the school system are wondering how this is going to work,” said a source who wished to remain unnamed.
That same source said it was highly unlikely Tahiliani would be taking orders from Gauthier.
The belief among those who claim to know the inner workings of the School Department are that the acting superintendent and the new superintendent will be collegial and this will be advantageous to Tahiliani.
“There is no doubt Mrs. Gauthier’s presence during this transitional moment will give aid and comfort to Tahiliani. After all, Gauthier is a virtual font of information about the school system she has served for 40 years,” said the source.
“Who better than her to have around,” he added. On the other hand, more than a few School Department employees questioned the wisdom of having two superintendents when the job can be managed well with one.
Any thoughts that Gauthier was retiring when Tahiliani takes over have been put off until the end of the school year.
Until June, Gauthier will remain then acting superintendent of schools.