Sturbridge and the other Tantasqua communities will have new school leadership after the current school year.

At a special joint meeting Tuesday, September 15, the Tantasqua Regional and Union 61 school committees accepted Superintendent Deb Boyd’s resignation and early-retirement notice. The committees also authorized an internal search for a permanent successor.

This week’s edition explains the search process, why the timing matters for Sturbridge and the next dates in several ongoing town issues. Links go directly to the relevant portions of official meeting recordings.

In this week’s update

Source note: This report is based on the official September 15 joint school-committee recording, the district’s meeting-agenda page and previously reported Sturbridge meeting records. Written minutes from the September 15 meeting were not available in the materials reviewed; approved minutes and written decisions remain the official records.

Both school committees voted without opposition to accept Boyd’s resignation and early-retirement notice, effective at the end of the current school year.

The committees then authorized their chair to post the permanent superintendent position internally. If more than two people apply, a screening committee will be formed to review the applicants and recommend finalists.

The public discussion did not include an application deadline, a list of possible candidates or a date for the final appointment. Those details will become clearer after the position is posted.

▶ Watch the resignation vote at 0:50 · Watch the search discussion at 4:55 · Watch the final authorization at 16:00

The superintendent’s office serves the regional and Union 61 school systems, so the selection will affect Sturbridge as well as Brimfield, Brookfield, Holland and Wales.

The timing also connects to issues Sturbridge residents are already following at Burgess Elementary School. Earlier this month, Burgess reported returning more than $200,000 from the prior year’s budget while preparing for possible pressure from out-of-district special-education placements. Officials were also waiting for a clearer state-funding picture, preparing to negotiate the transportation contract and working through a new state-required policy.

Those issues were not presented as reasons for Boyd’s departure. They are part of the work the next superintendent will inherit.

→ Read the September 7 Burgess budget and policy update

There was no new approval this week on the town’s energy rules, the proposed apartments at 152 Main Street or the Plimpton Community Forest plan. Each issue does, however, have a next public step.

The Planning Board is expected to begin its hearing process on proposed solar and battery-storage zoning changes Monday, September 28. The draft addresses issues including groundwater, stormwater and fire safety.

Town officials have been working toward a possible November 16 Special Town Meeting vote. A hearing does not adopt the rules, and the town has not approved a specific new solar or battery project through this process.

▶ Watch the explanation of the hearing process at 44:59 · Watch the Select Board vote at 54:05

The Conservation Commission continued its review of 14 proposed apartments at 152 Main Street to Thursday, October 1. Commissioners and staff had requested more information about parking, snow storage, stormwater treatment, native plantings and work near wetlands. Neighbors also raised questions about runoff, fire access and the shared driveway.

The project remains under review. The Commission did not approve it at the September 10 hearing.

▶ Watch the proposal at 10:10 · Watch the hearing continuation at 54:11

The public-comment period for the draft Plimpton Community Forest master plan closed Friday, September 18. Conservation staff previously said they planned to use the comments to prepare a final draft for the Commission’s October 1 meeting.

Closing the comment period does not mean the plan has been adopted. The next useful public record will be the revised draft and the Commission’s discussion of it.

▶ Watch the plan update at 1:12:36 · Read the draft master plan

→ Read last week’s full housing, energy and forest-plan update

The Town Minute will follow the superintendent search, revised development plans and upcoming zoning hearings as new records become available. Subscribe free to the Sturbridge edition, and share this update with a neighbor who wants to keep up.

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The Town Minute is an independent publication and is not affiliated with any municipal government or political organization. This is a public-friendly summary, not an official record. For official and complete information, consult approved minutes, agendas, documents and meeting recordings. Please send corrections or missing context by replying to the newsletter.