School Committee members unanimously voted to approve the $175,000 contract through 2027 for Jennifer O’Connell as the new director of student services for Lynnfield Public Schools.
O’Connell was the finalist for the position when members voted, as an extensive interview process was conducted by a committee that included Superintendent Thomas Geary, Assistant Superintendent Adam Federico, teachers from district schools, and special education representatives.
“In total, 17 members of our Lynnfield community met with Jen. It was a thorough, collaborative review and vetting process,” Geary said. “I feel comfortable where we ended up. Adam and I checked various references, and there was positive feedback throughout.”
He continued to explain how this is a difficult position to fill, so finding someone of this caliber with a lot of experience is big for the district. O’Connell worked for 20 years in Winthrop, most recently as the director of Pupil Personnel Services.
“This is the type of person we want, high character, and this was really reflected in the calls Adam and I made,” Geary said. “As many of you know, I’m not easily impressed, but I truly feel that Jen will be a great fit for this position at this time.”
O’Connell got the chance to field some questions asked by the committee during the meeting, including about communication with families of special education students, preparing older students for their transition to adulthood, how she plans to build trust with parents, and developing programs for the schools.
She emphasized the importance of being hands-on with families, understanding where they are coming from, and through that work, building relationships and a positive rapport where each side trusts each other.
“Sometimes, both sides are not going to agree, and it’s okay to disagree; there’s a mechanism in place for disagreement,” O’Connell said. “As long as we are transparent with parents about their rights and what they are allowed by law, I think that sometimes we can work things out, and sometimes we can’t, but don’t ever take things personally.”
Additionally, O’Connell touched on inclusionary and co-educational classes where special education students are in the general education classrooms, saying that they can be good, but must be well planned to have a positive impact for everyone involved.
“I know the Winthrop way of how things happen, but learning the Lynnfield way is extremely important,” she said. “There are little nuances about the way things are done. Everything from how paperwork is processed to who handles a referral, all those things.”
