The Springfield School Committee voted in support of Terry Powe and Jose Escribano as the new assistant superintendents of Springfield Public Schools during its April 30 meeting.
Photo credit: Focus Springfield
SPRINGFIELD — Two longtime local educators were officially named the new assistant superintendents of the Springfield School Department during the School Committee’s special meeting on April 30.
Superintendent Sonia Dinnall appointed Jose Escribano as the new assistant superintendent of community engagement, family empowerment and partnerships; and Terry Powe as the new assistant superintendent of curriculum instruction and professional development.
The School Committee unanimously voted for both selections.
“I just want to first thank the community, thank the families, thank the teachers, everybody that supported me throughout the years,” Escribano said. “I’m really passionate about working with families and making sure that they understand their powers and that they have a say in their students’ education.”
Escribano most recently served as the Springfield Public Schools’ chief of family and community engagement, Prior to that, he served as the principal for Brightwood Elementary School and also worked as a social worker for the Department of Children and Families.
He has a master’s degree in education with a concentration in School Adjustment Counseling and Mental Health Counseling, according to his biography posted on the Springfield Public Schools page.
In his new position, Escribano will “lead the district’s efforts to build strong collaborative relationships between families, schools and the community,” according to the SPS website.
Additionally, he will “lead district efforts to reduce chronic absenteeism, improve overall student achievement and work to develop and manage relationships with external organizations, like nonprofits and community groups.”
Escribano said that he hopes to leverage community engagement by making sure the School Department has strong partnerships on both a local and national level.
“I look forward to continuing those partnerships and working with organizations across the country, here in Springfield; and bringing resources back to the families in Springfield that need them,” Escribano said.
The School Committee was overwhelmingly effusive in their feelings for Escribano as a leader. School Committee member LaTonia Monroe Naylor reflected on the time he conducted his first community engagement event for SPS, which drew over 1,000 people at MassMutual Center.
“That was the first time I’ve ever seen that many people show up for an event at MassMutual Center for the district,” Monroe Naylor said. “It speaks to your resilience, your intentionality of wanting to make sure that the community is engaged.”
Powe, meanwhile, will be responsible for “leading development, implementation and evaluation of the district’s curriculum and instructional programs” in her new role. The position also requires expertise in other key roles, such as administrative leadership, professional development and budget and resource management.
“The city of Springfield is responsible for the leader that I am today,” Powe said. “I’ve taken advantage of every opportunity that I’ve been given as a leader, and I love my students, and I love my city, and I will spread that love throughout the city.”
Most recently, Powe was the principal of the Elias Brookings School and served as the school’s business administrator for the last 14 years. Before that, she was an elementary school teacher at Freedman Elementary School and a district literacy coach for SPS.
According to her biography, she has a bachelor of science degree in education from Springfield College and a master’s degree in education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
In her remarks to the School Committee, Powe said she plans to give “110% effort” into whatever the students need to be successful in the classroom.
“I just thank God for this opportunity to serve, and I am happy to be working with Dr. Dinnall,” Powe said.
Much like with Escribano, School Committee members were unanimous in their enthusiasm for Powe’s appointment to the assistant superintendent position.
Mayor Domenic Sarno and School Committee member Denise Hurst hearkened back to the aftermath of the infamous 2011 tornado that tore through Springfield, including Brookings School. They commended Powe for her perseverance during that period and for her commitment to rebuilding in the midst of a challenging time.
“I do remember what it was like for you when the tornado hit, and you carried yourself with a tremendous amount of grace and you were smiling and you kept it so together and you have continued to do that since that day until now,” Hurst said. “I am so excited for you and I’m so excited for us.”
Dinnall said both candidates were chosen after a “very careful vetting process,” which included several interviews and observational rounds. According to prior Reminder Publishing reporting, the salaries for the positions range from $170,000-$190,000.
Powe and Escribano are the department’s first assistant principals since Lydia Martinez-Alvarez, who retired in 2022.
