Holliston Public Schools

04/10/2026

We are hiring! School year and summer positions available https://holliston.schoolspring.com/

04/07/2026

03/19/2026

Dear Holliston Community Members

The Holliston School Committee is pleased to present its FY2027 operating budget request along with our May Capital and MSBA Feasibility Study funding requests. During this period of economic, political and budgetary uncertainty, the District’s longstanding practice of prudent fiscal budgeting has helped us avoid many of the issues that other districts in the Commonwealth are currently facing. We would also be remise if we did not recognize that the Town’s overwhelming support for the 2024 override has also contributed to our strong fiscal position.

We are also pleased to report that our requested budget fulfills our promise to the Holliston Community, made during the override process, to meet a 3.25% level service budget increase. While other Districts have had to resort to significant layoffs, other budgetary cuts and/or emergency override requests, we have been able to achieve our commitment with minimal cuts that were almost entirely driven by enrollment and needs based shifts and offset by increased spending elsewhere, such as additional special educators and tutoring staff. These are the types of actions that are taken most years and help ensure that we are meeting the current needs of our students while limiting the burden we place on taxpayers.

At the same time, the District has a number of important additional “Priority Need” requests that we will be respectfully requesting the Finance Committee consider should additional funds (such as greater than expected state aid) become available during the budget process. These requests amount to a total of only $158,000 or 0.36% of our budget and, as you will see, include requests such as a 0.5 FTE Out-of-District special education coordinator that could help keep more students in our district or better serve those that are already on out-of-district placements.

Our capital requests include a continuation in updating our curriculum materials, additional resources for the HS as part of the shift in schedule, a long overdue maintenance truck replacement, and technology upgrades.

Lastly, working closely with our Select Board colleagues, we have been able to secure an article on this coming May Town Meeting warrant that would fund the High School Feasibility Study. We appreciate and thank the Select Board for their support with this project that is really a townwide endeavor. We also look forward to providing much more detail about what exactly is included in a Feasibility Study in the coming weeks. However, approving and completing the Feasibility Study is a critical initial step in the MSBA school building program. We ask that you please attend Town Meeting (May 11th, 7PM, HHS auditorium) so that we can demonstrate Holliston’s strong and overwhelming support for this project to the MSBA. Your attendance is crucial.

School Committee Office Hours:

As a reminder, the School Committee will be holding office hours this coming Saturday, March 21st at 2pm at Rushford & Sons. Expected guest appearance by our incoming Superintendent Dr. Kimo Carter.

Budget Hearing:

Please note that our statutorily required Budget Hearing will occur during our regularly scheduled School Committee meeting on March 26th, 2026 at 7pm in the HHS Library. We encourage you to review the attached presentation with the Budget Hearing an opportunity for the public to bring forward any thoughts or concerns related to our proposed budget.

Thank you again for supporting the Holliston Public Schools and Eid Mubarak for those observing Eid Al-Fitr tomorrow.

Sincerely,

The Holliston School Committee

HSC FY27 Budget Presentation:

03/13/2026

March 13, 2026

Dear Holliston School Community:

Following a rigorous search process, I am pleased to announce that Ms. Brenda Maurao has been selected as the next Principal of Miller Elementary School. Ms. Maurao brings a wealth of experience to the role, having served as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, and assistant director.

As a respected Holliston resident, Brenda is uniquely positioned for a seamless transition from her current role as assistant principal. She will succeed Principal Keim, who is retiring after many years of dedicated service. I wish them both the very best in their next chapters. We will begin the search for a new assistant principal at Miller shortly.

Thank you to everyone who assisted with this selection process.

Please join me in welcoming and congratulating Brenda on her new leadership role!

Regards,

Susan Kustka, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

03/07/2026

Good evening Holliston Community,
Please visit our website to view community webinars and provide feedback on our 3 Miller Principal Finalists. Feedback is due by Wednesday, March 11th at 12:00 PM.

Miller Principal Search - Holliston Public Schools

03/03/2026

Dear Holliston Community,

We are excited to announce that we have reached the final stage of our search for Miller’s next Principal. Because community input is essential to our decision-making, we encourage you to join us for "Meet the Finalist" sessions. Please join us from 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM on the following dates:

Webinar Schedule
(Today) Tuesday, March 3 (6:00 - 7:00 PM}: Webinar link (Brenda Maurao):https://holliston-k12-ma-us.zoom.us/j/83364400564?pwd=ELCN9in71Z0jb7OMOy2QtJ1qIDpMLh.1

Wednesday, March 4 (6:00 - 7:00 PM): Webinar link (Qi Chen):https://holliston-k12-ma-us.zoom.us/j/84298364035?pwd=0YA6WU0o5D96r0kJyAba1IdODHrjj6.1

Friday, March 6 (6:00 - 7:00 PM): Webinar link (Jennifer LaMontagne):https://holliston-k12-ma-us.zoom.us/j/85404951038?pwd=zwEQm2afXnXPirdpV4lTuVHksMxyD3.1

Candidate Bios (in visit order)

Brenda Maurao

Ms. Maurao is the Assistant Principal of Miller Elementary in Holliston, a role she previously held and has since returned to. Prior to this role, she served as Principal of Mary Lee Burbank School in Belmont, Assistant Director of Talent & Growth, Assistant Director of Elementary Education, and as a Principal in Framingham. Additionally, Ms. Maurao served as Principal of Stall Brook Elementary in Bellingham. She holds a Master of Science in Elementary Education from University of Bridgeport and completed her Certification Program for Administrative Licensure from Lesley University.

Qi Chen

Qi Chen has most recently been Principal of Ellis Mendell School in Boston. Prior to this role, he served as Assistant Principal of Lowell Elementary School in Watertown. Earlier in his career he worked as a Math, Special Education, and World Language teacher as well as ESL (English Second Language) Coordinator. Mr. Chen holds a Master of Education in School Leadership from Harvard and a Master of Education in Special Education from University of Hawaii.

Jennifer LaMontagne

Jennifer LaMontagne is currently Principal of Winn Brook Elementary in Belmont. Prior to this role, she served as Principal in Northborough/Southborough Public Schools, Interim Principal in Clinton Public Schools, and Principal/Assistant Principal in Sudbury. Ms. LaMontagne holds a Master of Education from UMass Amherst and a Certificate in School Management and Leadership from Harvard.

How to Provide Feedback
Following the final webinar on Friday, March 6, an anonymous survey will be sent to the entire community. This will be your opportunity to provide formal feedback on all candidates to help inform our final decision.

Thank you for your patience and for your commitment to finding the right leader for our school.

Best,

Dr. Joanne Menard, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction

Dan MacLeod, Director of Technology & Digital Learning

03/02/2026

March 2, 2026

Hello Parents, Guardians, Staff, and Members of the Holliston School Community,

The Holliston School Committee voted on Thursday, February 26, 2026, to make March 10, 2026 a required instructional day for students and staff, to replace one Snow Day to allow for June 25, 2026 to be the last day of school for students and school year staff.

In addition, they voted to move the Professional Development day for educators and nurses from March 10, 2026 to April 3, 2026.

Additional Information will follow as needed. Thank you in advance for your flexibility with this unforeseeable change necessitated by four snow days this winter. We hope last week’s storm will be the last of the inclement weather for this school year.

Regards,

Susan Kustka, Ed.D.

02/23/2026

February 23, 2026

Dear Holliston School Community:

Holliston Public Schools will be closed again tomorrow, Tuesday, February 24, 2026, due to the volume of snow and with snow continuing to fall in many areas. Please continue to remain safe and observe parking and travel bans.

Sincerely,

Susan Kustka, Ed.D.

02/04/2026

Dr. James "Kimo" Carter Announcement 2.3.26

Dear Members of the Holliston Community:

The Holliston School Committee is incredibly excited to announce the appointment of Dr. James “Kimo” Carter as the next Superintendent of the Holliston Public Schools (beginning July 1, 2026), subject to successful contract negotiations. Dr. Carter has accepted our invitation to enter into contract negotiations and asked us to convey to the Holliston Community that he is thrilled.

Dr. Carter will be joining Holliston Public Schools from Weston where he has served for 8 years as Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning. In this role, Dr. Carter oversees curriculum, instruction, and assessment initiatives. Prior to this role, he was Principal of Watertown Middle School for 13 years and previously served as an assistant principal and middle school social studies teacher. His experience spans classroom teaching, school leadership, and district-level administration. Mr. Carter holds an Ed. D. in Educational Administration from Boston College, an Ed. M. from Harvard University, a B.A. from Wesleyan University and Massachusetts Professional Superintendent certification.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Carter to Holliston. Once his contract is finalized, and as we approach his start date, the Holliston School Committee will be arranging for additional community meet and greets with Dr. Carter.

Sincerely,

The Holliston School Committee

01/31/2026

Thank you to all for your support as we continue the Superintendent Search process. We have interviewed the three finalists listed below and are now requesting feedback from the community. Links to the video of each candidate's interview are also included below. Please submit your comments and input via this link:

Superintendent Finalist Feedback Form
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfD_q0tBRR0wk7CtMQDhzaW2qQ98YONqqzVOvgmSiDblYg7uQ/viewform

***Form closes Monday, February 2 at 5:00pm to allow for time for the HSC to review*** Thank you for your prompt response!
Potential vote on Superintendent Candidate scheduled for February 3, 2026

Holliston Public Schools Announces Three Finalists for Superintendent of Schools

Holliston, MA — The Holliston School Committee is pleased to announce the finalists for the Superintendent of Schools following a comprehensive search process. After reviewing a strong pool of applicants and conducting initial interviews, the Screening Team identified the following candidates, listed in order of their visit to Holliston::

Mr. Tim McCormick
Tim McCormick has been Superintendent of Schools for North Brookfield Public Schools since 2022. Prior to this role, he served as a high school principal in North Brookfield and Northbridge, as well as principal of the Gardner Academy of Learning & Technology. Earlier in his career, he worked as an athletic director at the secondary level. Mr. McCormick holds a Master of Education and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from the University of New Hampshire and maintains Massachusetts DESE certification as a Superintendent and Principal.

Superintendent Finalist Interview: Mr. Tim McCormick - 1/28/2026: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D06-OrF3c-A

Dr. Jennifer G. Parson
Jennifer Goldstein Parson has served as Superintendent of Schools for Plainville Public Schools in Plainville, Massachusetts, since July 2022. Previously, she was Assistant Superintendent of Schools in Hopkinton Public Schools from 2018 to 2022 and earlier served as a principal in both the Northborough and Hopkinton Public Schools. Her professional background includes district-level leadership, school administration, and classroom teaching. Dr. Parson holds an EdD in Leadership in Schooling from the University of Massachusetts Lowell and multiple Massachusetts licensure endorsements, including Superintendent and Principal. She also served as an elected member of the Milford Public Schools School Committee from 2014 to 2023.

Superintendent Finalist Interview: Dr. Jennifer G. Parson - 1/29/2026
https://www.youtube.com/live/_yJpXS4Pa3U

Dr. James A. “Kimo” Carter
James A. “Kimo” Carter has served as Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning in Weston Public Schools since July 2018, where he oversees curriculum, instruction, and assessment initiatives. Prior to this role, he was Principal of Watertown Middle School for 13 years and previously served as an assistant principal and middle school social studies teacher. His experience spans classroom teaching, school leadership, and district-level administration. Dr. Carter holds an EdD in Educational Administration from Boston College, an EdM from Harvard University, and Massachusetts Professional Superintendent certification.

Superintendent Finalist Interview: Dr. James A. "Kimo" Carter - 1/30/2026
https://www.youtube.com/live/oA2xS23YseU

The final selection and vote are expected to take place at a Special School Committee meeting on Tuesday, February 3 at 7:00pm in the High School Library. This will also be broadcast live on HCAT.

The Holliston School Committee is excited to share this accomplished group of candidates with our community. Each finalist brings a strong record of educational leadership and a deep shared commitment to our district’s mission and values. We look forward to engaging with our stakeholders throughout this final phase of the process.

For more information about the superintendent search and to view candidate materials, visit https://www.holliston.k12.ma.us/about/school-committee/superintendent-search.

Finally, we will be holding two Office Hours to provide an opportunity for community members to share feedback and ask questions.

Holliston School Committee Office Hours:
Saturday, January 31, 9:00-10:00am - Coffee Haven
Sunday, February 1, 3:00-4:00pm - Rushford & Sons

These informal sessions are open to all and are intended to support dialogue, transparency, and community engagement as we move forward in the superintendent search process. We hope you will join us.

About Holliston Public Schools
Holliston Public Schools’ is a PreK-12th grade public school district serving approximately 2,650 students across four schools. The district provides an inclusive and positive school culture for all students, along with innovative academic and enrichment programs, including French Immersion, Montessori, and Global Citizens pathways.

The Town of Holliston School Committee Meeting - Superintendent of School Finalist Interview with Dr. James A. "Kimo" Carter on Friday, January 30, 2026.

01/27/2026

🚨 UPDATED SCHEDULE: Superintendent Finalist Visits 🚨
Holliston Public Schools is proud to announce our three finalists for Superintendent of Schools. We invite the community to participate in the final phase of our search process.

THE FINALISTS:

Dr. James A. “Kimo” Carter – Assistant Superintendent, Weston Public Schools

Mr. Tim McCormick – Superintendent, North Brookfield Public Schools

Dr. Jennifer G. Parson – Superintendent, Plainville Public Schools

🗓️ REVISED VISITATION & INTERVIEW SCHEDULE
(Note: These updates reflect the most current schedule for Jan 28–30)

Community Meet & Greets (Daily) 📍 Miller Multi-Purpose Room ⏰ 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM 🌐 Join via Zoom: https://holliston-k12-ma-us.zoom.us/j/84111551414 (Passcode required)

Public Interviews (High School Library, Live on HCAT/YouTube or Zoom)

WED, JAN 28 (7:00 PM): Mr. Tim McCormick

THU, JAN 29 (7:00 PM): Dr. Jennifer G. Parson

FRI, JAN 30 (7:00 PM): Dr. James A. “Kimo” Carter

Join via Zoom: https://holliston-k12-ma-us.zoom.us/j/84111551414 (Passcode required)

☕ SCHOOL COMMITTEE OFFICE HOURS
Join us to share your feedback in person:

SAT, JAN 31 (9:00–10:00 AM): Coffee Haven

SUN, FEB 1 (3:00–4:00 PM): Rushford & Sons

Final Selection & Vote: Tuesday, Feb 3rd at 7:00 PM (High School Library).

Full candidate bios and feedback surveys can be found here: https://www.holliston.k12.ma.us/about/school-committee/superintendent-search

Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise cloud communications.

01/27/2026

Hello Holliston Community,

School will be cancelled today, Tuesday January 27th. After communicating first thing this morning with the Holliston DPW, it was determined that there would not be sufficient time by the start of the first school bus run to properly clear the roads and parking lots to safely open schools. I apologize for the inconvenience, but I am appreciative of the hard work our DPW has put in to keep our roads safe for our students.

Stay safe!

David Jordan
Assistant Superintendent of Finance & Operations