By Carol Britton Meyer

Superintendent of Schools Judith Kuehn will retire at the end of the next school year.

During a record-short 17-minute meeting Monday night, the school committee unanimously elected David Twombly as the new chair and accepted Kuehn’s letter of intent to retire in June 2024.

Kuehn said it was “with mixed emotions” that she made her announcement.

“Coming to this decision wasn’t an easy one. However, it’s the right one as my retirement will coincide with the completion of the comprehensive reconfiguration of the [Hull Public Schools] project,” she said. “I owe it to the community, staff, students, and families to see it through.”

Previously the district’s assistant superintendent of curriculum, instruction, and professional development, Kuehn was named superintendent of schools in May 2020 to replace Michael Devine.

She had been assistant superintendent since 2012. Prior to that Kuehn served as Hull’s director of student services for four years, where she oversaw special education, school nurses and medical services, 504 plans, grant writing, preschool, guidance and counseling, and the Special Education Parent Advisory Council.

“I have had the good fortune to be associated with so many exceptional educators, educational leaders, and school committee members, who have the passion and commitment to make decisions that reflect the best interests of our students,” Kuehn said. “For 15 years I have also been blessed to be associated with outstanding students, families, support staff, custodians, central office staff, and town employees. I am proud that the Hull Public Schools is truly a special place where all students have access to an outstanding education and life-changing opportunities.”

One of her top commitments during the new school year is to complete the plans for phase two of the reconfiguration project to ensure that a successful implementation occurs in the fall of 2024.

“The Hull Public Schools is an incredible school district. I can say with confidence that this project positions the Hull Public Schools to be even stronger in the future,” Kuehn said.

Calling this a “bittersweet moment,” Kuehn thanked the school committee for the opportunity to serve as superintendent.

“I wanted to give the committee time to prepare,” she said. “I could have retired two years ago, but I really love my work and wanted to see [the reconfiguration] through. … I am so proud of what we have built together.”

During phase one of the consolidation, pre-K through grade 6 will be housed at Jacobs Elementary School, grades 7 and 8 at Memorial Middle School, and grades 9 through 12 at the high school for the 2023-24 school year.

The phase two reconfiguration plan calls for Jacobs School to house grades Pre-K through grade 7 and the high school, grades 8 to 12, starting with the 2024-25 school year.

The committee also welcomed new member Regan Yakubian, and elected Kyle Conley as vice chair and Liliana Hedrick as secretary for the coming year. Conley was not present.

The entire committee expressed regret at Kuehn’s plan to retire while wishing her all the best.

Twombly said he knew Kuehn was “getting close to retirement age – it was in the back of my mind. …You’ve done an excellent job, going from the refrigerator to the frying pan [after she was named Devine’s replacement], and then two weeks later COVID started, and you took the lead and did an unbelievable job.

“You’ve done it all and touched thousands of lives in the Hull Public Schools,” Twombly continued. “You’ve earned a nice retirement. I’m looking forward to working with you during the next year as we transition into the consolidation and [into the process of searching for] a new superintendent.”

Hedrick called Kuehn “an incredible person first and foremost, on top of the amount of care and time you have put into education for our community. There’s no doubt that you will see [the school reconfiguration plan] through and make it all happen.”

Speaking as a parent, Yakubian said she’s grateful to Kuehn for all she has done for the HPS and the students, “especially through COVID, when the kids were able to remain in school. You took care of the district and this community, and I look forward to the year we have to work together.”

Member Ernest Minelli thinks fiscal 2024 “will be a year of celebrating the next stage of the reconfiguration effort and to also celebrate your [Kuehn’s] accomplishments and achievements in the various roles you have performed.”

Also speaking as a parent, Minelli expressed appreciation for Kuehn’s understanding of students, educators, and the community.

“You are part of the fabric of what makes Hull [special],” he said.

When talking about next steps, Twombly said he expects a transition team would be created in the fall and that a consulting firm may be hired to help with the search.

In the meantime, Kuehn will work with the school committee to create a transition plan to support a successful start for the next superintendent on July 1, 2024.

“At the August school committee retreat, discussions related to the superintendent search will begin,” she said.

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