Deruosi a Finalist for Superintendent Post in Malden

-By Seth Daniel

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Deruosi.

Successes in the Revere Public Schools have been delivered a bittersweet blow this week as another top administrator is being considered for a superintendent position out of town.

Former Revere High School (RHS) Principal, and current assistant superintendent, Dave Deruosi is a finalist for the superintendent of schools position in Malden.

Deruosi interviewed Monday night for the position and is a strong candidate in a field of three finalists.

Deruosi told the Journal that he would rather not comment on the matter at this time.

His potential departure would be the second big name in the district to leave this spring for top jobs in other communities.

Last month, Whelan School Principal John Macero was chosen to be superintendent of the Winthrop Schools and he will be leaving the Revere district on July 1.

Other administrators in the system are also rumored to be interested in openings, as districts in nearby Peabody and Salem are believed to be looking for new superintendents.

Deruosi was considered by most to be a star within the statewide administration circles, and his name was certainly in the mix of those who could potentially succeed current Revere Superintendent Paul Dakin several years down the road when he chooses to retire.

However, therein lies the problem.

A number of talented administrators in Revere are getting bottle-necked at the top, and with the very public successes of Revere’s schools on the statewide stage, administrators like Deruosi and Macero are being plucked away.

“It is good, but it can be problematic,” said Dakin. “You train people and eventually they get good enough that they could be a good leader at another district. Other districts know about Revere and they take note of the people in our district. In a way, it’s a credit to the district that our people are able to shine in other districts. It’s a backhanded compliment in a way.”

Nevertheless, Dakin said he supports Deruosi’s potential move and has spoken for him.

“It’s certainly crushing news if we were to lose him, but I would never stand in his way,” said Dakin. “He’s certainly a natural fit for some urban district.”

Mayor Tom Ambrosino said the trend hasn’t been lost on him either. He’s noticed good talent from the schools headed elsewhere, but he said he feels it’s a natural offshoot of a successful system.

There can only be one person at the top, and Dakin – hopefully – isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, he said.

“When you have good people, they move on to other to other jobs,” said Ambrosino. “There’s only one Superintendent position in the city and people who are aspiring to be a superintendent will move on…It speaks volumes to the talent in our system.”

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