Interim superintendent of Bristol schools voted in at last night’s Board of Education meeting

Posted By: David Fortier May 2, 2024

The Board of Education voted 5-4 last evening to name an interim superintendent to lead Bristol Public Schools. The appointment comes following the announcement, late last week, that the current superintendent of schools, Dr. Catherine Carbone, would be retiring.

Iris White, who works for the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE), and recently was an intern working under Carbone, was approved to assume the position after an hours long executive session at the May Board of Education meeting.

“Cate’s last day is May 15,” said the board chair Shelby Pons. “Iris starts the 16th,” Pons said, “but will overlap for transition purposes for a couple of days.”

Voting against the appointment were Kristen Giantonio, Jennifer Van Gorder, Russell Anderson and Lorianne Osenkowski. Voting for White’s appointment were Eric Carlson, Maria Simmons, Jill Fitzsimmons-Bula, Dante Tagariello and Pons.

White is currently an educational consultant with CSDE, working with low-performing schools and districts. A profile of White, from her alma mater, The College of St. Rose, can be found by clicking here.

Pons released a statement announcing White’s appointment this morning. It reads as follows:

Iris White’s wealth of experience in education and dedication to
enhancing student achievement make her an ideal candidate for the role
of Acting Superintendent of Bristol Public Schools. With a background
spanning 30 years in public education at the State, local and school
levels. Her qualifications as a certified special education teacher with
a master’s degree in curriculum development, coupled with her yearlong
mentorship under Dr. Carbone as part of the Executive Leadership Program
at University of CT, demonstrate her unique qualifications making her an
invaluable leader for our District.

The Board sought the advice of the members of the district leadership
team, who recommended Ms. White for the Acting Superintendent position.
It was important to consider the input of those directly affected by our
choice and acknowledge their positive experiences working with Ms.
White. That feedback facilitated the decision to appoint Ms. White,
leveraging her familiarity with the district to maintain stability and
prevent unnecessary disruptions in other leadership roles and
responsibilities.

Ms. White’s extensive experience at the Connecticut State Department of
Education managing grants and aligning budgets with funding sources will
be a valuable asset as the board faces many challenges in the coming
months. Following the Board of Finance’s decision to approve a 1.65%
increase as opposed to the 4.13% requested by Dr. Carbone, coupled with
the end of over $20 million dollars of COVID relief funding and possible
state budget cuts, finding the right replacement for the Superintendent
was critical. By leveraging Ms. White’s expertise, it will help the
Board implement cost-effective solutions and strategic streamlining to
support the district’s goals and priorities, taking into consideration
the demographics of Bristol, where 57% of students live in households
meeting the federal definition of poverty and 22% of our students
qualify for special education services.

The Board is required to implement cost reductions and identify areas
for streamlining. Ms. White will work with the Board to develop a
revised budget by June. We appreciate her enthusiasm in assuming this
responsibility and have full confidence in her understanding of and
affiliation with our school communities, which will prove invaluable as
we embark on the search for the next permanent superintendent.

Shelby Pons

Chairperson, Bristol Public Schools

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