Politics & Government

Hughes to Remain as Regional Principal for Another Year

John Hughes will remain as the interim principal at the high school for one more year so the right candidate can be found to permanently fill the position.

John Hughes will remain as the interim principal at for one more year.

Hughes, who retired last year as principal at Natick High School, .

“John has brought some stability,” said Interim School Superintendent Peter Gray.

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Gray announced to the School Committee when it met last Thursday that the school district received a waiver – since Hughes is retired from another Massachusetts school district - from the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to allow Hughes to work another year.

Gray said he made the announcement after hearing “issues, rumors and innuendos” about the future of the position.

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“It would be prudent and wise to have John continue for an additional year,” Gray said.

The move will allow school leaders to be thoughtful in finding the right person to permanently fill the position.

Former principal Matt Fox, who also served as principal of , left to become principal at .

Last year, Gray .

Gray recently said that the decision to pass on and instead choose to hire for the job on an interim basis was one of the most difficult decision he’s made as superintendent. He said he heard from everyone from the fire chief to school faculty “and everyone in between” with suggestions about the decision.

“I wouldn’t change it now because I still think it is the right decision,” Gray said.

He made the comments in front of the superintendent search committee, which is evaluating Gray and .

Gray also said he will be setting up two forums – one for parents and students and one for faculty – to discuss continuing John Driscoll as the middle school principal. Driscoll, too, , filling the vacancy when Fox departed.

“That will happen in the next few weeks,” Gray said about the forums and subsequent decision.


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