Scituate Public Schools welcomes William E. Burkhead as the new superintendent. Currently the principal of Monomoy Regional High School in Harwich, MA, where he has served since July 2014, Burkhead was honored in 2018 as the Massachusetts High School Principal of the Year by the Massachusetts Secondary School Administrators’ Association. 

With previous experience as the principal of Normandin Middle School in New Bedford, MA, Burkhead’s professional career also includes teaching, coaching, and working as an adjustment counselor. Burkhead describes himself as a “highly enthusiastic person” who likes to focus on the positive aspects of his life. Outside of work, he enjoys exercising, going to the beach, and spending time with his wife and two adult children.

As a Plymouth resident, Burkhead said he was drawn to Scituate because of its reputation and location, along with the extra plus of being a “beautiful coastal town.” More specifically, Burkhead likes the town’s supportive education and the positive reputation of both the students and faculty. Current projects such as the renovation of the athletic fields as well as the new middle school building were contributing factors when he applied for the superintendent position. 

Through education, Burkhead believes students can become the leaders of future generations. He also believes it is his job to ensure “that the playing field is level for all students and for their experiences to be powerful and productive.” By giving students access to quality education, Burkhead is optimistic about education’s power to positively shape the minds of students who will play a great role in the nation and the world’s future. 

In regards to the current COVID-19 pandemic, Burkhead isn’t sure how the situation will play out during the fall semester. However, he said the community needs to prepare for all kinds of contingencies. His number one goal is safety, so if students return to their school buildings in the fall, he stated, “We have to make sure that we’re returning to a safe environment.” 

If school buildings cannot be open in the fall, Burkhead wants to ensure that there are strong relationships between the students, faculty, and staff.  Administrators, teachers, and parents should be able to provide the best education possible for every single student. 

After social distancing measures decrease and students are able to return to school safely, Burkhead said he will be “so excited to meet everybody” and wants to learn as much as he can through asking questions. He plans to ask community members, “What will make Scituate the best school in the world? What do we need to get there?” Burkhead added, “A parent’s perspective would be different from a teacher’s perspective, and so on.” 

According to Burkhead, students can have a meaningful role in their education by having the opportunity “to be heard by teachers and their principals about what they value in education.” Emphasizing his team approach to decision-making, Burkhead stated, “Great school districts would be ones that involve everyone having a voice and everyone contributing and celebrating that success.”