Holyoke superintendent search narrows to three finalists
HOLYOKE ― The Holyoke School Committee has advanced three candidates as finalists in its search for the district's next superintendent, with interviews and site visits scheduled for mid-February and a final decision expected later this winter.
The 12-member Superintendent Screening Committee recommended Annie Azarloza, Jacqueline Glasheen and Carmen Melendez Quintero as finalists during the School Committee meeting on Jan. 26, the district said in a statement Wednesday.
Finalist candidates
Azarloza is the interim superintendent of the Northumberland, Stratford and Stark School District in Groveton, New Hampshire.
She is a doctoral candidate in educational leadership at American College of Education and previously served as chief academic support officer for Worcester Public Schools. Her experience also includes roles as assistant superintendent, district director, principal and classroom teacher in Foxborough.
Azarloza is a member of the Association of Latino Superintendents and participated in its Leadership Academy cohort. She has also led a fellowship cohort of 17 educators.
"Through the implementation of data-driven strategies and collaboration with various stakeholders, I have been able to make meaningful progress in narrowing opportunity gaps and creating more equitable learning environments for all," Azarloza said.
She said her leadership approach is grounded in the Whole School, Whole Child, Whole Community model. Azarloza is fluent in Spanish and listed hiking, running, zip lining, Pilates, reading and traveling among her hobbies.
Glasheen is the assistant superintendent of Holyoke Public Schools. She was appointed in May 2025, shortly before the district officially regained local control.
Glasheen earned her degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2005 and has held several leadership roles within Holyoke Public Schools, including executive director of school leadership, school principal and assistant principal at Kelly School and Morgan School. She also taught middle school and served as a member of the Morgan School turnaround team.
Her professional affiliations include the National Institute for School Leadership and the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents. Glasheen also serves on the board of directors for the Holyoke Public Library.
In a prior interview, Glasheen said her experience under state receivership strengthened her as a school and district leader.
She described being part of the community and having her children attend Holyoke schools as a blessing that sharpens her awareness of how district decisions impact families, while also noting the difficulty of maintaining perspective. "It's also a curse, because at times you can't see beyond yourself," she said.
Melendez Quintero is the executive director of inclusive education for Boston Public Schools and is pursuing a doctorate at Boston College. Her previous experience includes serving as director of counseling and multilingual education for Worcester Public Schools and as an adjunct professor at Providence College.
Melendez Quintero has received a Multistate Association of Bilingual Education Lifetime Service Award and has presented at several education conferences. She is a member of the Multistate Association of Bilingual Education, Northeast, the American School Counselor Association, and the Massachusetts School Counselors Association.
In a recommendation letter submitted to the search committee, Julie Taka, a multilingual supervisor, praised Melendez Quintero's leadership.
"She has the creative power to empower young adults, the knowledge to navigate opportunities, exceptional leadership skills, and is an innovative thinker who will most definitely drive positive change for your organization," Taka wrote.
Search timeline and community response
Massachusetts Association of School Committees Executive Director Glenn Koocher, who is leading the superintendent search, outlined a timeline that calls for School Committee members to select a new superintendent later this winter. The district said in a statement Wednesday that the new superintendent is expected to begin work on July 1.
A total of nine applications were submitted by the Dec. 23 deadline. The Screening Committee reviewed all applications and selected five candidates for confidential semi-finalist interviews, which were completed on Jan. 21.
School Committee Vice Chair Yadilette Rivera-Colón said the district is excited about the strength of the finalist pool.
"I look forward to getting to know our finalists over the coming weeks as we move the search process into the final stages," Rivera-Colón said.
Holyoke Mayor Joshua A. Garcia called the applicants a strong and diverse group of experienced educational leaders.
"These candidates represent a strong and diverse pool of experienced educational leaders, each bringing valuable perspectives that could help guide Holyoke Public Schools forward," Garcia said.
Garcia also commended members of the School Committee and the Screening Committee for their work, calling the superintendent search a critical process.
"I am confident that this deliberate and inclusive search will result in a superintendent who is committed to equity, excellence, and the success of every student in Holyoke Public Schools," he said, encouraging the community to stay engaged and support the district throughout the process.
Concerns raised about search process
Despite praise for the candidate pool, concerns about the search process itself have been raised publicly.
In a Jan. 24 Facebook post , Christian Carde, who said he served on the Screening Committee, criticized changes made to the committee appointment process.
"The original process for appointing committee members was changed without notice, from interviewing candidates to nominating candidates," Carde wrote.
He said he was not questioning the School Committee's authority, but rather the process used.
"While the committee ultimately has the final say, transparency and consistency still matter," Carde wrote.
Carde also alleged that a sitting School Committee member was appointed to the Screening Committee despite not following the stated application rules — rules that he noted were established by the School Committee itself.
He questioned whether community members would have received the same consideration if they volunteered after the deadline and raised concerns about potential bias when individuals hold influence over both the screening process and the final hiring decision.
"These concerns are about fairness, transparency, and accountability," Carde wrote. "Our community deserves a superintendent search that is transparent, consistent, unbiased, trustworthy, and especially centered on the benefit of our students and community."
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