On Tuesday, July 9, 2024, the news broke that Stafford’s Superintendent of Schools, Steven A. Moccio, will leave to take over Enfield's top position. The Patch reported, “A veteran administrator who spent the past six years improving Stafford's graduation rate to 98 percent will attempt to turn around the Enfield school system as its new superintendent, during what Board of Education member Tina LeBlanc called ‘a turning point in our district, where we're going to be rebuilding.’"
Enfield’s previous superintendent announced he was leaving the position back in February and began his new position in May. The district cut 129 jobs after a contentious budget season, meaning Moccio, no stranger to dealing with budget problems, will inherit a district likely in disarray.
Stafford Free Press reached out to Sara Kelley, Chair of the Board of Education, for comment and with a few logistical questions. Kelley responded via email, “While the Board is disappointed in Mr. Moccio's decision to leave Stafford Public Schools, we appreciate all that Mr. Moccio has contributed to the school system, and we wish him the best as he moves on to Enfield. There will not be an interim superintendent, as Mr. Moccio has agreed to assist with the transition and remain for up to 90 days, which is part of his contract.”
The board could choose to hire an outside firm, such as the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education or EastConn, to handle the search for candidates. However, Kelley said, “The Board will be handling the hiring process, and we have already started preparing for the search.“
Moccio’s most recent performance evaluation happened during an executive session at the June 3, 2024, Board of Education meeting. When the board returned from the executive session, the only action item regarding the Superintendent was to vote to increase his salary by 1.5% to $189,177 from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025. There was no mention of whether or not they extended his contract at that time.
Stafford Free Press reached out to Moccio for comment. However, he is currently on vacation. We will update this article when we hear back from him.