Phelan Named Next Belmont School Superintendent

John Phelan, the assistant superintendent for curriculum and personnel of the Milton Public Schools, was named as the next Belmont School District Superintendent at a meeting of the Belmont School Committee at the Chenery Middle School on Tuesday night, Dec. 17.

The Committee's decision was made moot when Dr. Anne McKenzie, the other finalist, called Laurie Graham earlier in the day to say that she had accepted the superintendent's post at the Hadley Public School Monday night.

As an early-winter snow storm ragged outside, Phelan was praised by the members as a hands-on administrator who is well-versed in the role of being a superintendent.

"I do think he did show his breathe of experience to be a superintendent," said Laurie Graham, Belmont School Committee chair.

Dr. Thomas Kingston, the current superintendent, said he will seek to make the transition a "smooth" one allowing Phelan an opportunity to form his own team. 

Phelan will begin negotiating a contract with the School Committee with an anticipated start date of July 1, 2014.

Before this his present position which he has served in since 2008, Phelan served as the assistant principal of the Pierce Middle School in Milton from 1998 until 2002. Concurrent with his position of assistant principal, Phelan also served as the director of transportation. 

Prior to his tenure in Milton, Phelan worked in the Boston Public Schools as the assistant principal of the Woodrow Wilson Middle School from 1996 until 1998 and the senior coordinator from 1994 until 1996. 

Phelan has a bachelor’s degree in science from Suffolk University; a master’s degree in education and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (Administration) from Bridgewater State College. He is in a doctoral program at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, with an anticipated degree conferral date of June, 2014.

He was an adjunct professor in the Certificate of Advanced Educational Studies (CAGS) Program at the University of Massachusetts, Boston from 2006 until 2008.