He is incompetent and has cost the taxpayers millions already. Has anyone forgotten the $500,000.00 whoopsie he did as union lead negotiater? Some teachers got $30,000.00 payouts because Jara didn't do the math. What about his repeated "miss calculations" re school staffing and charters? Those combined cost us a cool 2.5 million. Finally, he is Dicks lap dog and afraid to make a move simply becuase he has no idea what to do! Come on people we need a real executive for a change! If we want to turn this district around, there are a number of eminently more qualified candidates than Jara.

May 23, 2012 - The committee charged with selecting finalists for Superintendent of Springfield Public Schools announced tonight that their top candidates for the position are Monroe County School District Superintendent Jesus F. Jara and Springfield Public Schools Deputy Superintendent Daniel J. Warwick. The committee reported that a third finalist withdrew their candidacy yesterday. The Search Committee announced the finalists to the School Committee during a public meeting held at Springfield Public Schools headquarters earlier tonight. According to documents distributed at the meeting, Jara served as assistant principal of Van Sickle Middle School from 2001 to 2003 and as principal of the High School of Science and Technology from 2003 to 2005. He has served in his current role of superintendent of Monroe County Public Schools in Key West, Florida since August 2011. He worked as chief operations officer for that district from 2010 – 2011. Prior to that, Jara worked as executive officer of The College Board in Florida from 2006 to 2010; and as senior educational manager of that board from 2005 to 2006. He served as a teacher and dean of students for Coral Gables Sr. High School in Florida from 1998 to 2001. Jara holds a bachelor's degree from Barry University, a master's degree from Nova Southeastern University and a doctorate's degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. According to documents distributed at tonight's meeting, Warwick has served as deputy superintendent of Springfield Public Schools since 2011 and as assistant superintendent of Springfield Public Schools from 2004 to 2011. Prior to that, Warwick served as principal of Glenwood School from 1991 to 2004 and as a Special Education supervisor for the school district from 1988 to 1991. He served as a teacher in Springfield Public Schools from 1976 to 1988. Warwick holds a bachelor's degree from Westfield State University, a master's degree from American International College and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies- Educational Administration from American International College. Selection Committee Chairman Jose Claudio said tonight that the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, which is coordinating the search, reviewed 18 applications for the position and determined that seven of those met the School Committee's minimum qualifications. Two of those candidates withdrew their names, leaving five candidates for the Search Committee to interview. Now that the Search Committee has named the finalists, School Committee members will begin scheduling site visits for the finalists. Once those occur, dates for public interviews will be set, according to Patricia Correira of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees. Jesus Jara Daniel Warwick      

Jara will get the nod. What a complete turnaround from Andy, too. From hell bent on getting rid of him, to a certain "yes" vote. With "Dick", that makes two, and Mathewson is sure to fall in line for the deciding third vote. Jara WILL get the job. Lets hope he surprises us all and shows real courage and professionalism in gutting the laughable administration at some of our schools. Why are we still being forced to watch this charade anymore? Give him the job and get on with it already. And, the next time there is a referendum on the ballot that takes this kind of critical decision from the voters...VOTE NO. Luckily, we can all VOTE NO to Andy and the rest when they are up for reelection.

Besides old administrators, which retirees over age 65 had fully paid health insurance?