This summer marked a lot of changes for the Londonderry School District. After 17 years of dedicated service as the superintendent for the Londonderry School District, Nate Greenberg retired, leaving in his wake a hole that needed filling.
Greenberg accomplished much during his 17 years, including the implementation of an adult education program, a dual credits system that allows students to earn college credits while still in high school, and the expansion of co-curricular activities.
It turned out the perfect replacement was already in place: Scott Laliberte, who had served as the assistant superintendent of the Londonderry School District for the past three years. Laliberte is entering his 27th year in education and his 20th year in a leadership role. Prior to his work in the Londonderry School District, he worked as a curriculum coordinator in Gilford and a principal at Moultonborough Central School.
“Nate Greenberg built a substantial culture of student-focused collaboration here, and I’m privileged to carry on his work,” said Laliberte.
Laliberte began his career in education as a high school English teacher after studying at University of New Hampshire and completing a graduate and post graduate program at Plymouth State University. Throughout his career, he has always been fascinated by systems-level work for their ability to do positive things for learners by “creating the right systems, culture, and supports for those working directly with students.”
“I’ve also worked for some outstanding superintendents, and was encouraged to pursue this work by several of them, who saw some potential in me to take on this role,” he said. “It is a very challenging but fulfilling job, and one in which there is an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of students in an entire district.”
Soon after he came to work as assistant superintendent in Londonderry, other districts that were conducting superintendent searches contacted him, inquiring about his interest in applying. According to Laliberte, there is a “considerable shortage” of superintendents in the state, and he believes his work with Greenberg made him an “interesting candidate.”
After Greenberg decided to retire, the school board approached him about transitioning from the assistant superintendent position to Greenberg’s successor.
“The benefits of an in-house promotion suited both the board and me – they avoided a costly and extensive search and had the chance to work with a person with whom they were well acquainted, and I had the opportunity to be promoted in an outstanding district that I’ve come to know and in which I love working. I’m very grateful to the board for the confidence and for this incredible opportunity,” he said.
For the 2017-2018 school year, Laliberte’s focus is on deepening the learning experience for the students and staff in the district and that are “actively pursuing ways in which the district can operate in more efficient ways.” They are examining the instructional programs and operational procedures of the district in order to move forward.
“Our key word is ‘intentionality’ – always working with an awareness of the impact and direction of your actions,” he said.
In the future, the district plans to use technological advancements to enhance student learning, which will involve a lot of planning and forethought “to insure that we aren’t chasing fads.” Although the district has made strides toward their goal of 95 percent of graduating students being accepted into two and four-year schools, they are still looking for ways to make sure Londonderry students graduate with goals for the future.
“We aren’t sure what this will look like yet, but we are working on it,” he said.
At the same time that Laliberte’s new position became effective, the district appointed Daniel Black to fill Laliberte’s previous position of assistant superintendent. Black received a BA in English from Vanderbilt University and a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from Harvard University. Recently, he also completed a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Educational Leadership from Plymouth State University.
Black has most recently served as assistant superintendent for the Keene School District, but prior to that he has been a teacher through Teach for America, and the principal of a charter school in the New York City Public School System.
In a Londonderry School District press release, Black said, “I am honored to be joining the Londonderry School District. I look forward to being a part of a community and school system that strives for and produces excellence for its students. I hope to be a good addition to the team when it comes to curriculum, instruction, and assessment, and other responsibilities that arise.”