Fosters: Former OR superintendent Colter to lead Barrington School District

As reported by Mike Greear in Fosters today, former ORCSD Superintendent Colter will become interim superintendent of the Barrington School District on Monday:

Former OR superintendent Colter to lead Barrington School District

By MIKE GREEAR
mgreear@fosters.com
Friday, July 15, 2011

BARRINGTON — The School Board announced Thursday that former Oyster River School District Superintendent Howard Colter will serve as interim superintendent in Barrington following the resignation of current superintendent Henry Aliberti.

The decision was made at a special meeting on Wednesday night.

Colter left the Oyster River School District on June 30 when the School Board bought out the remainder of his contract, a move that cost the district $133,400 in salary as well as an additional $17,000 in accrued sick and vacation time, leaving taxpayers dismayed with the board.

Before the contract was bought out, Colter was slotted to stay on as superintendent until June 2012.

According to a press release from the Barrington School District issued Thursday, the Barrington School Board voted unanimously in favor of Colter's hiring after an extensive search and interview process.

Colter will begin as interim superintendent on July 18, which will overlap with the final few weeks of Aliberti's tenure, which ends Aug. 5.

According to the release, Colter started as a teacher in the 1970s and subsequently held various administrative and leadership positions such as alternative school director, elementary school principal and high school principal.

He first served as a superintendent in 1983 in Potter Valley, Calif. He has since served as superintendent in Massachusetts and Maine, as well as the Granite State, most recently working as superintendent for Oyster River School District in Durham.

In the release, Colter said he is impressed by what he has learned about the Barrington School District and is excited to begin his new position.

"My meetings with the school board and the leadership team convinced me that this will be a great professional opportunity," Colter said in the release announcing his hiring. "I accept this job with ardor and appreciation."

Colter was unavailable for further comment Thursday evening.

Barrington School Board Chairman Dave Gibson said Colter's appointment will bring valued leadership to the district as it moves forward.

"We think Howard is going to be a fantastic addition to our district," Gibson said.

Gibson added that any issues that occurred between the Oyster River School Board and Colter were specific to that district, and he does not anticipate them impacting Colter's new position.

"We have no reason to believe that he won't be successful at Barrington," Gibson said.

Aliberti, who has served as the superintendent since 2008, has accepted a job as the superintendent for the town of Turner, Maine.