Finance Control Board and School Committee Vote Jointly to Hire Dr. Alan J. Ingram

(Springfield, MA) Today Springfield Mayor and School Committee Chair Domenic J. Sarno and Springfield Finance Control Board Chairman Chris Gabrieli announced the unanimous selection of Dr. Alan J. Ingram as the new Superintendent of Springfield Public Schools pending contract negotiations in a joint meeting of the Springfield School Committee and Springfield Finance Control Board.

"I am elated that Dr. Ingram will join this community as the fresh, new face of the Springfield School Department and I very much look forward to working with him as we re-build our school system," said Mayor Sarno. "Dr. Ingram's experience within the Oklahoma City Public Schools; strong educational background; and status as a retired chief master sergeant in the United States Air Force provide a solid base that can propel our school system to great heights."

Sarno noted the qualifications of all four candidates but said Ingram's message was inspiring and most purposeful. "It's those intangible qualities that make the difference between success and failure," said Sarno.

Sarno noted Ingram's stated commitment to student achievement, noting Ingrams’ vow to stamp out the "soft bigotry of low expectations," his team-oriented approach and his pledge of "visibility with a purpose."

"We would like to congratulate the School Committee and Mayor Sarno on their leadership in this endeavor," said Finance Control Board Chairman Chris Gabrieli. "The search process was thorough and effective—from the essential involvement and enthusiastic participation of the Community Advisory Committee to the transparency with which it was conducted—and we had the opportunity to meet and interview four impressive candidates. The Control Board has been happy to catalyze this process."

"The appointment of Dr. Alan Ingram as the next Superintendent of the Springfield Public Schools brings great hope for our community," said Community Advisory Committee member and group moderator Teresa Regina, who also served as chair on Mayor Sarno's Education Transition Team. "His commitment to academic achievement, his collaborative leadership style, his use of data in the problem-solving process, his knowledge of processes and planning to support implementation, and his strong work ethic—all combine for success."

The four superintendent finalists were interviewed by panels made up of community members on Sunday, May 4 and Monday, May 5.  The members of those panels then provided structured feedback to the Springfield Finance Control Board and School Committee.

The Springfield Finance Control Board and the School Committee then conducted joint public interviews on Monday, May 5 and Tuesday, May 6 before convening jointly to deliberate on the selection process on Tuesday, May 6.

"I'm absolutely thrilled with the unanimous decision and support of the Springfield School Committee and Finance Control Board," said Dr. Ingram. "There is great support across the community and I look forward to working collaboratively with staff, schools, parents, the business community and other community members, in our efforts to move forward smartly in addressing the education challenges of the district."

BIO OF THE CANDIDATE

Dr. Alan J. Ingram of Oklahoma, who is currently the chief accountability officer for the Oklahoma City Public Schools. Prior to that position, Ingram held the title of executive director of federal programs for that school system from 2003 to 2007. In that position, Ingram achieved a 58 percent reduction in the number of schools designated for improvement. He is a graduate of the Broad Center Urban Superintendent's Academy. He is a retired chief master sergeant in the United States Air Force.