On Tuesday, Apr. 11, Acting Superintendent Parry Graham sent an email to Wayland families announcing the three finalists for interim assistant superintendent, Brian Ackerman, Jodi Fortuna, and Betsy Gavron. The three finalists will undergo a vetting process by Wayland community stakeholders.

Wayland has been searching for an interim assistant superintendent due to the departure of Graham who accepted the superintendent position at Lincoln Public Schools. Although Graham will not be in Wayland next year, he is in charge of making the final decision.

“I will be working on a schedule for members of the administrative team, staff, and families to spend time with each of the finalists sometime after April vacation, and I will then use the feedback from those different groups, along with reference check information, to help me in making a final decision,” Graham said.

Betsy Gavron, current Wayland Middle School principal, announced her decision to go on a sabbatical on Feb. 8 due to the mental toll of being principal as well as the declining health of her mother-in-law.

“Fortunately for us, Grammy has rebounded well from her health scare and is at home again, making good progress,” Gavron said in an email to Wayland Middle School families. “This leaves me available to potentially try on an interim district leadership position here, in a community that has been my professional home for the last 25 years.”

Brian Ackerman is the current Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning in the Dudley-Charlton Regional School District. He has also worked as both a principal and special education teacher in Rhode Island.

Jodi Fortuna is the current Principal of Young Achievers K-8 Math and Science Pilot School in Boston. She has also served as an assistant superintendent, director of elementary curriculum and instruction, and superintendent.