Marblehead School Superintendent 
John Buckey has been elected president of the North Shore Superintendents Roundtable.
Buckey succeeds Carol Jacobs, superintendent of schools in Georgetown, who held the position for the past 12 years. The election was held last week at the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents 28th annual Summer Executive Institute held at Mashpee High School.
The Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents originated in 1973 and is the only statewide organization dedicated to the professional and advocacy concerns of school superintendents and assistant superintendents.
In addition to holding multiple networking and professional development events per year, the association supports eight regional round tables, led by superintendents chosen by their peers.
“The [NSSRT] roundtable is an invaluable resource for superintendents,” said Peabody Superintendent Josh Vadala. “It provides a community of support and a network to share best practices on the North Shore.”
The North Shore Superintendent Roundtable group is composed of 29 superintendents from districts as far south as Revere, stretching east to Rockport and north to Amesbury.
The group includes assistant superintendents, collaborative directors and other central office leaders.
In recent years, the group has worked to be the face of public education in the region and to advocate for policies and funding. The Roundtable provides professional development at its monthly meetings.
“The North Shore Superintendent Roundtable continues to provide ongoing support, training and professional collegiality for superintendents,” Tri-Town Superintendent Scott Morrison noted. “With so many North Shore superintendents connected to educational groups and organizations locally, regionally, statewide and nationally, the Roundtable is a place for thought leaders to exchange ideas and develop partnerships with each other which enrich their local district.”
The roundtable provides an opportunity for networking and professional development that serves the interests of the North Shore. In January of 2021 the NSSRT group banded together, alongside their teachers’ union presidents, to urge Gov. Charlie Baker to move teachers up to the first phase of the state’s COVID-19 vaccination plan.In addition to being the face of the Roundtable and the point of contact for M.A.S.S., as President, Buckey’s responsibilities will include coordinating professional development and facilitating monthly roundtable meetings. He will work closely with the planning team and other NSSRT officers to formulate programs and Roundtable activities. In reflecting on his experience with the NSSRT, Ben Lummis wrote “in my two years as Gloucester’s superintendent, the superintendents in the North Shore Roundtable have been an invaluable resource. Whether we’re discussing COVID protocols, hiring, instruction, transportation, or the many other aspects of our very difficult jobs, it is remarkable to have a group of colleagues who are so collegial, collaborative, and supportive of one another. I am really looking forward to John Buckey’s leadership of our group. Buckey said “I am honored to have the opportunity to lead this group and to have the support of my peers across the North Shore.”
