Community Corner
(Updated: 3:57 p.m.) Erardi Identified as ‘Top Candidate’ for Newtown Superintendent Job
An email to school faculty this week revealed that the Southington school superintendent has been selected as the candidate of choice to take over the reins in Newtown.
Updated: 3:57 p.m.
After seven years in Southington, School Superintendent Joseph V. Erardi Jr. may soon be leaving to take on greater challenges in leading a district in Newtown that was left heartbroken a little over a year ago.
Erardi has been named the “candidate of choice” by officials with the Newtown Board of Education, according to an email sent this week to faculty and staff of the Southington school district. He has not been formerly offered a job.
The email, sent from Erardi, indicated that he was notified on Sunday that he is the top choice to fill their vacant post, left open when Newtown’s former superintendent Janet Robinson resigned in May 2013. The district is currently being led by interim superintendent John Reed.
“There is not another job in the country that I would be interested in other than in Newtown,” Erardi wrote in the email.
Erardi was not immediately available for comment Wednesday.
The well-liked superintendent called the information from Newtown “a revelation” and “bittersweet,” saying he would consider the position because of the tragic incident that occurred in December 2012 when 20 children and six staff were killed at the Sandy Hook Elementary School by gunman Adam Lanza.
Southington Board of Education members declined to comment, stating the issue is a “personnel matter.”
Laura Roche, vice chairman of the Newtown Board of Education, confirmed to Patch Wednesday afternoon that Erardi is a top candidate for the district's opening. An offer has not been made, she said.
On Friday, Newtown BOE members will conduct a site visit with Erardi in Southington, Roche said.
Erardi was named Southington’s superintendent in 2007, After spending two years leading the Watertown school district. He also spent five years as Superintendent of Bolton schools.
— Gary Jeanfaivre contributed to this report.
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