NORTHAMPTON — With the start of the 2026-2027 school year less than a month away, the district’s new superintendent, Annie Azarloza, is gearing up for her first year at the helm of Northampton Public Schools.
Selected by the School Committee in April, Azarloza explained that as she learns the ropes of her new role, improving special education and managing student technology are top priorities in what she described as a “highly engaged” district.
“For me, it’s just about listening and learning, and seeing what are the things that we can build upon, and what are some of the challenges that we can, you know, help to improve the district,” said Azarloza, who started on July 1. “Right now, one of the big questions we’re facing is: How are we servicing our most vulnerable children? Our special education division … I want to make sure that we are servicing them as best as possible and we’re closing those opportunity gaps.”
Discussing her general plan to improve special education across the district, the new superintendent explained that she wished to assess what she referred to as both the qualitative and quantitative details of the special education system.
Azarloza said over the course of her first 100 days, she hoped to look at students’ performance data and the district’s budgeted spending on special education, then talk to teachers and administrators to brainstorm ways to fine-tune the district’s special education.
“What I’ve got to do now also is look at the quantitative data, getting into the budget [and] the line items. How are we servicing children? … There are so many different effective models out there to close opportunity gaps for our most vulnerable,” she said. “I’m eager to dive into the quantitative, but I also want to get into classrooms — I want to see what teaching and learning looks like for our youth.”
Adding that she believes early intervention is key for addressing students in need of additional services or extra help, Azarloza went on to note that she believes the middle school age level is crucial for a student’s academic and social development.
“I taught all three levels, but middle school is definitely my favorite — it’s when they’re kind of discovering themselves, they’re making some mistakes and they’re pushing boundaries,” Azarloza said. “What supports do we have in place for those children? Because you want them making mistakes under our roof, so that we can provide them the support that they need to make more responsible decisions.”
Discussing the use of technology in schools, Azarloza noted that while technological advancement cannot be rolled back and should be embraced, it needs to be used moderately and responsibly in a school setting.
“Technology has always been the way of the future, so we can’t be afraid of it. We can’t look the other way, we have to embrace it, but it’s got to be in moderation,” Azarloza said. “We have to make sure that they are able to interact with their peers effectively.”
The superintendent went on to explain that while students should have some level of phone-free time focused on interpersonal interaction and learning, it should be mixed with time when they are taught to use technology in a way that benefits them.
School Committee members voted to implement a bell-to-bell cellphone ban last month, shortly after the House of Representatives advanced a bill to restrict the use of cellphones and other devices in public schools and restrict social media use for children. The Senate had also passed its own bill, and the two bills need to be reconciled before heading to Gov. Maura Healey.
Azarloza most recently served as interim superintendent of the Stark, Stratford and Northumberland School District in New Hampshire amid what she referred to in her resume as a “period of fiscal constraint and organizational transition.”
In the final round of superintendent candidate interviews, which came after a contentious budget season, the School Committee chose Azarloza over three other competing finalists, praising her for her budget planning abilities, experience with special needs support and general passion and knowledge.
Now that she’s “getting [her] feet wet” in the community, Azarloza said she was surprised by the level of public engagement involved with the city’s school district. She said that remaining as transparent as possible with the general public, especially with matters related to the budget, might promote clearer and more effective discourse.
“One thing that I admire so much about the district, the school community, and community members in general is they’re so passionate about the Northampton Public Schools. They want to be a part of it,” Azarloza said. “Information is like oxygen; without it, people begin to hallucinate. The more transparent you are, the better informed the community is … The way I see it is as long as they [the public] have the information, the current state — the good, the bad and the ugly — I’m going to share it all.”
When asked why she dedicated her career to education, Azarloza credited her third-grade teacher as her initial inspiration to be an educator, and later an educational leader. She says the responsibility and privilege of shaping young minds and careers is particularly rewarding.
“This is one of the very few professions where you can change the trajectory of a child’s life, and that’s amazing to me,” she said. “If I’m in education for 30 years, and I’m able to change one child’s life trajectory positively, it was all worth it. That’s what’s so powerful about education, and why I love it.”
