Harwich Has Landed School Business Manager Of The Future

by William F. Galvin

            HARWICH – The school department has landed a new business manager. Joel Dickerson, who comes from the Lexington School District, will work with interim business manager Francis “Skip” Finnel for the next two to three months before taking over the reins.

            Superintendent of Schools Dr. Carolyn Cragin said the decision was made last week after introducing Dickerson to the school committee. This will be Dickerson’s first full-time job as a school business manager, Cragin said.

            He has had several years experience in both teaching and working as an intern under Mary Ellen Dunn, considered one of the best school business managers in the state, Cragin said. Dunn is now the assistant superintendent for finance and business in Lexington.

            “It’s good news.  We’re quite pleased,” Cragin said.

            Dickerson has a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Texas, and a MBA from Bentley College and has taught at Natick High School and at the middle school level in Lexington, Cragin said. Dickerson worked in alterative education programs in those schools to assist students academically at risk.

            The superintendent said he also worked in an intern capacity in the business manager’s office with Dunn, and when she took a job in Lexington, Dickerson moved on to that school system with her.

            “He wanted to teach and he realized the business manager’s position is the perfect marriage of his skills,” Cragin said. “He’s a calm and intelligent person and I think he’ll do a great job.”

            Before coming to teaching in 2003, Dickerson was in charge of the Y2K adjustments for Boston Edison, now NSTAR. He said the task was to ensure all systems would roll over smoothly. On Dec. 31, 1999, he said he was in a war room on the 34^th floor of a building in Boston viewing the process. He also worked for Blue Cross/ Blue Shield during his 20 years working  in the business community.

“It’s an opportunity to be a business manager in a small community and an opportunity to work in all aspects of the operation,” Dickerson said  of the decision to come to Harwich. “You get a better impact across the services. Besides, what’s not to like about Harwich? It’s a beautiful community.”

            The superintendent said Finnel is the former president of the Massachusetts Association of School Business Officials and he used his contacts to aid in the recruitment. Cragin said they advertised the position on the association’s website and received seven responses. Three were interviewed and Dickerson was chosen. Dickerson comes to the position with MASBMO certification, she said.

            Dickerson will replace Gary Costin, who left the position in early July after 15 years of serving as business manager here to take a new position in the Plymouth School District.

            Dickerson began work here on Thursday. Cragin said he will serve as assistant to Finnel, who took over as interim business manager on a part-time basis when Costin left. The superintendent said Finnel will continue on a part-time basis for two to three months before turning the reins over to Dickerson. Finnel will continue to be his mentor, she said.

            Dickerson lives on Watertown, but said he will stay with a relative in Yarmouth for the first year. He said his wife and youngest daughter will stay in Watertown for the year. Dickerson said his oldest daughter is off to college this year and he has two older sons who have moved away from home. 

            Cragin said she also named a new part-time director of curriculum and assessment for the district on Friday, Carla Blanchard, who also teachers foreign languages in the high school.  The superintendent said Blanchard will teach for part of the day and serve as the director for the other half of the day.

            Blanchard replaces Dr. Ruth Joseph, who Cragin said has gone back to teaching at Fitchburg State Collage. Joseph made the move after the position was reduced to a half-time position.

            The longtime director of food services for the school system, Jeff Smith, has also retired.  Cragin said the position will be filled by Nancy DeSiata, who has served as the assistant to the food services director in the Dennis-Yarmouth School District.

9/4/08