The School Committee has named two finalists for the interim superintendent of schools position after multiple Screening Committee meetings that took place over the last several weeks.
In a press release, the committee named Dr. Theresea McGuinness and Dr. Jannell D. Pearson-Campbell as the two finalists for the position. Both candidates are set to be interviewed on Monday, Oct. 2, in the Marblehead High School Library.
McGuinness or Pearson-Campbell will be replacing acting Superintendent Michelle Cresta, who has been filling the role since Dr. John Buckey’s resignation in early August.
Cresta was originally named superintendent designee before Buckey’s resignation, and was then named acting superintendent almost immediately after his departure. However, it was announced that Cresta would not be seeking the superintendent position, and only planned to fill the hole until the committee found a suitable interim replacement.
McGuinness, a Swampscott resident, currently serves as the assistant superintendent for Watertown Public Schools, but has familiarity with the Marblehead School District. From 2012 to 2016, she served as the principal of Village School and was one of the finalists for the superintendent position in 2020 before Buckey ultimately landed the job.
McGuinness completed her undergraduate studies at the University of New Hampshire, earning a Bachelor of Arts in microbiology. She then earned a Master of Education in secondary education/biology and a Master of Education in counseling, both from UNH. In 2016, she earned her doctorate in educational leadership and policy studies from Boston University.
She has also held a wide range of positions across multiple districts, from serving as a guidance counselor at Nashua High School North in New Hampshire, to serving as principal of Doherty Middle School in Andover.
Pearson-Campbell’s most recent position was as the interim superintendent of North Hampton Public Schools, a role she held from 2022 to June 30 of this year.
Earning her Bachelor of Science in health information management from Florida A&M University, Pearson-Campbell went on to earn a Master of Education in special education from UMass Boston, a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in educational leadership from Bridgewater State University, and her most recent degree in 2019: a doctorate of education in educational leadership from UMass Lowell.
Pearson-Campbell also has more than a decade of experience as a teacher and assistant director of special education in multiple districts including Boston, Framingham, and Waltham.
After the committee decides between the two candidates, it will then go into another long-term screening process to find a permanent superintendent.
This is a developing story. Check back to marbleheadweeklynews.com for more updates.
Ryan Vermette is the Item's Marblehead reporter. He graduated from Springfield College in 2021 with a Bachelor's degree in Communications/Sports Journalism. While in school, he wrote multiple sports articles for the school newspaper, the Springfield Student, and joined Essex Media Group in August, 2022. Ryan is a college basketball fanatic and an avid Boston sports fan and in his free time, enjoys video games and Marvel movies. View all posts