Westwood School Committee launches high school principal search, declines school choice

School Committee · Meeting of April 14, 2026

Westwood School Committee unanimously declines school choice and sets high school principal hire timeline for late May. The committee voted 4-0 Tuesday to again opt out of the state school choice program, citing a $5,000-per-student reimbursement cap that falls short of Westwood's per-pupil expenditure. Superintendent Tim Pivirotte unveiled a detailed principal search calendar — finalist site visits at Westwood High School the week of May 11, reference checks the week of May 18, and a public announcement before month's end — with the search co-chaired by Assistant Superintendent Caitlin Ahern and English Department Head Kate Holmes.

The committee also approved 3 percent cost-of-living raises for most non-bargaining staff and 2.5 percent for extended-day employees, deferring substitute teacher rates to May pending a market study. Pivirotte reported the Thurston Middle School MSBA Statement of Interest was complete and on track for its April 18 deadline, noting that 15 of 27 core project SOIs were accepted in the most recent statewide cycle — odds he called encouraging for advancing to a senior site study.

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Source: the School Committee meeting of April 14, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.