Holliston is hiring a Director of Technology and Learning

The Holliston Public School District is interviewing the three finalists for Director of Teaching and Learning on Wednesday of this week. 

The public are invited to ask questions of the candidates during the community forum from 6-7:30 on Wednesday, April 8. We strongly encourage you to attend!! 

This is an important new position that will essentially fill the role of the outgoing Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction. The job responsibilities will include curriculum and equity alignment with MA State Frameworks, district strategic planning, curriculum review and mapping, supporting innovative teaching practices, fostering professional development, and building staff capacity to improve student outcomes in a safe, inclusive environment.

With this hire, we have a unique opportunity to bring in a leader who can steward the district’s stated commitments to DEI in our curriculum and professional development programs for staff.

Your participation and feedback in the community forum are crucial to demonstrating that the Holliston community values DEI in this role and takes seriously the DEI pillar of the District’s Strategic Plan. 

Adjusting  your schedule to prioritize attending even ONE of these 30-minute interviews will make a huge difference. 

If you attend, consider asking the candidates directly about their experience and vision for DEI-centered curriculum and training in our schools. Some questions you might consider asking:

Does the individual have:

• …a track record of improving systemic equity, diversity, inclusion, culture, and climate?

• …experience in curriculum alignment with MA State Frameworks and ensuring equity in curricula?

• …a history of building educator capacity to support innovative, inclusive teaching practices?

• …demonstrated success in creating safe, inclusive environments that empower all learners and address the needs of diverse student populations?

• …experience leading professional development focused on culturally responsive practices and improving student outcomes for all?

Community Forum Details ~ zoom link to come ~ 6:00 PM: Elizabeth Haskell 6:30 PM: Joelle Pedersen 7:00 PM: Karen Rondon-Bourn

The link will be provided on the morning of Wednesday, April 8. We will send another message that day as a reminder and include the link. 

Even if you cannot attend one of the forums, please consider filling out the survey that will be sent following the forums. Any level of participation is extremely helpful in demonstrating our community’s commitment and support of DEI. 

Details on each of the candidates:

Elizabeth Haskell is a seasoned educational leader with extensive expertise in district-wide curriculum development, grant management, and instructional technology. Currently serving as the Director of Curriculum & Assessment, Title I & ELL for Somerset Public and Somerset Berkley Regional Schools, she leads PreK-12 instructional design and oversees critical district task forces for literacy and STEM. Her administrative career is highlighted by her remarkable success in securing over $1.9 million in competitive and entitlement funding to support initiatives ranging from restorative discipline to mental health services.

Ms. Haskell is an Ed.D. candidate in Educational Leadership & Policy at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and holds a master’s degree in Curriculum & Instructional Technology. Her professional background includes serving as a Director of Humanities, a high school Assistant Principal, and over a decade of classroom teaching experience across various subjects including AP Macroeconomics and Spanish. Elizabeth is also a recognized presenter on Project-Based Learning (PBL) and social-emotional learning.

Dr. Joelle Pedersen is a distinguished instructional leader and researcher with 19 years of experience dedicated to promoting equity and evidence-based instruction across K-12 systems. She currently serves as the Interim Senior Director of Teaching and Learning for the Public Schools of Brookline, where she leads the implementation of high-quality curriculum materials for 4,700 students and supervises a team of curriculum coordinators. Her leadership is characterized by a "bridge-building" approach between research and practice, focusing on transformational coaching for administrators and inquiry-driven professional learning for teachers.

Dr. Pedersen holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from Boston College and has served as a Senior Instructor at the university for over a decade, designing and delivering courses on instructional leadership and literacy. Her extensive background includes Curriculum Leadership and Systems Improvement.

Dr. Karen Rondón-Bourn is a veteran educator and social justice advocate with over 26 years of experience in public school leadership and instruction. Currently serving as the Principal of Eliot Elementary School in Needham, MA, she has successfully led a diverse community of students and staff members, earning state recognition for improving equitable outcomes for historically marginalized and special education students.

Karen recently earned her Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Boston College, where her research focused on the Cultural Humility Framework, a dispositional approach designed to dismantle power imbalances and bridge gaps between school practitioners and the communities they serve. Her expertise is further highlighted by her role as a field supervisor for Boston College’s Principal Preparation Program and her recent selection as a speaker for the 2024 UCEA Convention. With a career spanning roles from bilingual classroom teacher to administrator, Dr. Rondón-Bourn brings a deep, research-backed commitment to transforming organizational cultures and student outcomes.