By ERIC GOLDSCHEIDER
Gazette Contributing Writer
Last modified: Friday, March 06, 2015
SOUTH HADLEY — Completing a change in leadership for the younger grades, the School Department announced Wednesday that Paul Goodhind, an educator in central Massachusetts, will be the new principal of Mosier Elementary School.
He will replace Jill Pasquini-Torchia who is moving over to the Plains Elementary School to succeed Jill Flanders, who is retiring July 1. Goodhind has led the Boylston Elementary School in the central part of the state for nearly five years.
Superintendent Nicholas Young called Goodhind a “highly seasoned educator,” who has been a physical education teacher and also a principal at the middle and high school levels. He has a degree in physical education from Westfield State College and a master’s in education from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.
Because the Plains Elementary School is moving into a new building this summer, Young wants Pasquini-Torchia to move to her new assignment as soon as possible.
Goodhind informed his current superintendent in the Berlin-Boylston Regional School District on Wednesday about his departure. Young said he expects to know in about a week when Goodhind will be available to start in South Hadley.
“If we can get him in here by June 1 I’d be happy at this point,” said Young.
The new Plains Elementary School building is on track to open for teachers and administrators to start moving in beginning approximately July 18, said Young. The current building at 267 Granby Road will be demolished after the move.
“It’s going to be tight so I want Jill to be there as early as possible to pack up the building because she will be there to unpack,” Young said.
He may ask Pasquini-Torchia to move, or at least share her time between the two buildings, before her replacement arrives. In that case David Gallagher, the Mosier Elementary School assistant principal, would temporarily take over some or all of her duties.
“I have an abundance of riches, meaning I have enough bodies,” said Young in terms of being able to staff the leadership of Mosier, which serves Grades 2 through 4 and Plains, which has students from pre-kindergarten through Grade 1.
Goodhind, who will earn between $96,000 and $100,000, was one of five applicants for the position. He was chosen after what Young described as “an extensive process” that included a screening committee, parents, teachers, administrators, staff and the School Committee. They interviewed two finalists. The other was Carla Lussier, principal of the Arthur T. Talmadge Elementary School in Springfield.
“It was a tough decision — we had two really seasoned educators — but in the end we had to make a choice,” said Young.
Pasquini-Torchia was named as Flanders’ successor at the Plains Elementary School last September after a search based on an internal posting. She has led the Mosier Elementary School for seven years.
Eric Goldscheider can be reached at eric.goldscheider@gmail.com.