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Joe Maruszczak

By Melissa Madden Staff Reporter · June 27, 2011

Joe Maruszczak, the new Mendon Upton Regional School Committee Superintendent



Joe Maruszczak has been named as the replacement for Superintendent Antonio Fernandes beginning on July 1.

Maruszczak graduated from Providence College Cum Laude with a B.A. in Chemistry. He then went on to get his Masters in Education in Secondary School Administration from Providence College and later earned an Ed.D degree in Educational Leadership at Johnson and Wales University.

From 1990 to 1998 he taught science at Ponaganset High School while from 2006 to 2007 he was the Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning in the Middletown Public School system. From there he became the Director at Kingston Hill Academy. Currently he is the Principal at Mansfield High School as well as the adjunct professor at Simmons College in the Graduate School. He developed and teaches an Emerging Instructional Technologies Course there.

Maruszczak explained he was very attracted to the Mendon-Upton School district and is very familiar with it. He in the past worked with former Superintendent of Mendon-Upton Paul Daigle through NEASC and felt like it would be a good fit to work in this district.

Maruszczak noted Mendon-Upton has a very good staff and an invested parent-base. He commended the teachers for taking no cost of living adjustments and no steps and lane changes in next year's budget. Maruszczak said he felt he has a skill set that can impact an entire community. Some of his goals for the future are to broaden the curriculum and teach students 21st century skills such as problem solving, creativity, and collaboration.

Maruszczak explained that he "is in it for the long haul." He has signed a three-year contract and hopes to move to N. Smithfield, Rhode Island, with his wife and two daughters to be closer to the district.

As far as the budget process, he explained that the formulation of the FY13 budget needs to start now. He hopes to inform the community of what the district's financial needs are and wants residents to understand each line item and how the school spends their money.

For now Maruszczak's main focus is teaching and learning.