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With the pending resignation of Superintendent of Schools Joseph V. Erardi, Jr, effective Monday, July 31, Board of Education members and district administrators offered reflections on his time in Newtown.

near the beginning of July. The school board officially accepted his resignation at its meeting on July 18,

Dr Erardi announced his plan to retire in an e-mail to the Board of Education and Newtown Public Schools district staff, effective August 1 to June 30 of next year or until a superintendent of schools is selected.when it also unanimously voted to appoint Newtown High School Principal Lorrie Rodrigue as the interim superintendent of schools

Dr Erardi began his time in Newtown in April 2014, after the Board of Education voted unanimously to hire him as the new superintendent. He had been serving as the superintendent of Southington.

When he started in Newtown, plans for the new Sandy Hook Elementary School building were still in development and many things had already been set, like choosing the building's site and the architectural team. He met with Sandy Hook School staff ahead of officially starting as superintendent to get a full sense of "where they were," he said in an interview on July 17.

Dr Erardi said he learned quickly he was lucky to have Gino Faiella as the district's facilities director, and to have the Public Building & Site Commission Chair Bob Mitchell.

"[Dr John Reed, interim superintendent] really had the entire ship in order for transference," said Dr Erardi.

As superintendent in Southington, Dr Erardi said, "I was very happy." As a superintendent, Dr Erardi said he had always been focused on school safety and security, and when the open position in Newtown became known to him, he was at a point in his career to retire or take on a challenge.

"I also felt the [Southington] district was in a real sound spot," said Dr Erardi. "...When I thought through where I was in my career and where I was going, there was one more challenge I was up for."

Initially he thought that challenge would be on the federal level, but then he learned the superintendency in Newtown was open.

"What I believe I recognized was a community most likely looking for veteran leadership: that's the reason why I raised my hand," Dr Erardi said.

In his time in Newtown Dr Erardi said he focused on his belief that "if you weren't all in, in this job and in this town, it wasn't going to work.

"I'm able to look back, and it was a 43-month journey that I hope when folks look on my tenure they understand - whether they think it is a positive of negative - that I did all that I could under my watch," he said.

The superintendent reflected that "the work" in Newtown is intense and complex.

"But it is clearly the most meaningful work that I could or anyone could have done in public school education. I'm just really proud to have been a small part of it," said Dr Erardi.

He is also proud of the willingness of the Board of Education to be "such extraordinary community volunteers in such a difficult role," of the relationships in the district that support the best interests for children, his relationships with families, and he is proud of the Newtown Public Schools staff. Dr Erardi said he respects the district's staff, the school board, and the Newtown community.

"There will always be a special place in my heart for the impacted families that have let me in their lives," Dr Erardi said.

The greatest accomplishment in the district, Dr Erardi said, is an understanding that Newtown will be in "rebuild and recovery" from 12/14 events for a long time.

"But I think the further understanding, which is the accomplishment, is this district right now is a district that I would be proud to have my children in," said Dr Erardi. "I'm really pleased with the teaching and learning that takes place in Newtown."

While some of the transitions and decisions that came after the tragedy were difficult, he said he did his best to be consistent with decisionmaking, even when it was not popular.

"I have never lost sight of our most impacted families," said Dr Erardi, remembering his promise to those families in attendance at the 2014-15 school year convocation event to do all he could for them. "We have done that, I think; it is not perfect, but we have worked really hard."

While Dr Erardi has attended many events to represent Newtown and earned awards during his time in Newtown - he was named the Superintendent of the Year for 2017 at an annual CABE/CAPSS Convention - he said he is more proud of the work that led to each event or award.

He is proud of the work that has taken place with the Newtown Federation of Teachers, particularly Tom Kuroski's leadership.

Dr Erardi said before he officially retires, he will work with the interim superintendent to transition everything.

"We should not miss a beat," said Dr Erardi.

With the change in school start times for the 2017-18 school year, Dr Erardi said, "Like any other year of transportation it needs a week or so to settle in." Every year for the last 20 years of his career, Dr Erardi said, transportation has been slow on opening day.

His time in Newtown has given him some "extraordinary life experiences," and the superintendent said he will take away memories of courageous parents.

"And I will take away that if you are able to build partnership and trust in key entities, watch the schools in town take off," Dr Erardi said, adding that partnership was something the school district as a whole worked on in his time as superintendent.

His first plan for retirement is "a whole bunch of family quality time." Down the road, Dr Erardi said he may have "one last run in me" for a separate career idea.

To the entire Newtown community, Dr Erardi said, "Thank you for allowing me to end a career in a place that holds teaching and learning in such high regard."

A Prepared Interim Superintendent

His advice to Newtown's interim superintendent and to its future full-time superintendent is to balance family and work in a way that allows them to be refreshed every day when they come to work.

Roughly a month after Dr Erardi started in the district, the Board of Education voted unanimously on May 20, 2014, to hire Dr Rodrigue to fill the position of principal at NHS. For Dr Rodrigue, it was a move back to Newtown and NHS. She had been serving as Pomperaug High School principal since 2008, had previously worked as a NHS assistant principal from 2000 to 2005, as a NHS English teacher from 1998 to 2000, and as an English teacher at Newtown Middle School from 1992 to 1998.

This past year, Dr Rodrigue completed an internship with Dr Erardi through Central Connecticut State University while she worked on her superintendent certification. She began her certification program in August 2016.

"[Dr Erardi] has sort of been encouraging me along the way," said Dr Rodrigue in January. "It seemed like the logical next step for me."

"Dr Erardi came at a time when Newtown truly needed appropriate and sensitive leadership," Dr Rodrigue said on July 26, "and he will be long remembered for pulling a school community together. His understanding, patience, and guidance supported staff, students, parents, and community members when it was most needed. We wish him well in his retirement."

Important Connections

Of all of the things Dr Erardi has accomplished in the district, said Board of Education Chair Keith Alexander, the connections Dr Erardi made while here were the "most helpful."

"Dr Erardi has been able to connect with our community himself, and that was something that we were looking for when we hired him. But he has also managed to leave us with connections between each other that we didn't have before," Mr Alexander said. "The Culture and Climate Committees are a clear indication of this, but it also shows in the cohesion between our administrators and interactions among teachers, custodians, and security personnel. He managed to spread his ability to communicate to those of us who worked with him in the district, which means we all speak and listen more clearly with each other than we did before he got here."

Board of Education Vice Chair Michelle Embree Ku reflected on all Dr Erardi has done for Newtown.

"While he does not live in town, he was in the community from 6:30 am to late in the evening almost every weekday, whether attending board meetings or events with community organizations," Ms Ku said, adding that Dr Erardi shared his personal phone number of many and was always available by e-mail. "Dr Erardi's extraordinary ability to connect with people, whether through community forums, early office hours, or late night meetings, helped create a culture of working together to do what is best for students and a climate of trust. It is difficult to be around him for any period and not be inspired. He devoted 200 percent of himself to the district, and I am glad that he and his family will have much-deserved time for themselves in his retirement."

Like Dr Rodrigue, Head O' Meadow Principal Barbara Gasparine said Dr Erardi came to the district when the town needed him most.

"He successfully handled very difficult challenges throughout his time here," Ms Gasparine said. "No doubt, he went above and beyond in terms of time and commitment to the Newtown community. In addition, he brought experience and knowledge that moved our school district forward. I am very grateful to have met him and worked with him over the past few years. He will be missed."

Hawley Elementary School Principal Christopher Moretti said Dr Erardi will be missed.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Dr Erardi," Mr Moretti said. "His support and guidance has been invaluable and greatly appreciated. I have grown professionally under his leadership and wished our time working together [could] have continued longer."

Reed Intermediate School Principal Anne Uberti said three years in a school district is a relatively short time.

"And given what the circumstances were when Dr Erardi arrived... it is especially impressive that it feels like he has been here forever," said Ms Uberti. "He has a knack for building positive, productive relationships with everyone - teachers, union leaders, administrators, parents, board members, community members, and town officials. It is largely because of his experience and knowledge, and his genuine, caring way with people, that our school system has been able to move forward. He is one of the finest leaders I have ever known, and it has been an honor and a pleasure to a part of his team. He will be greatly missed."