Interim Cambridge Superintendent Names Top Staff as School Committee Defers Search

As interim Cambridge Public Schools Superintendent David Murphy announced a slate of new administrative appointments at Tuesday’s Cambridge School Committee meeting, he found himself facing tough questions from member Richard Harding, Jr.

“You’ve been on how many days, Mr. Superintendent?” Harding said. “This is a hell of a move in two months.”

But Murphy, who was named interim superintendent after his predecessor, Victoria L. Greer, resigned in controversy, was prepared with a measured — if revealing — response: “All of us are interim in one respect or another, and that’s the nature of life.”

Though Murphy went on to say he wanted to prepare the district to transition to new leadership, his remarks were indicative of another reality: that Murphy has been taking unusually impactful steps for an interim leader, while the School Committee continues to defer launching a search for his replacement.

He has announced a no-phones policy in classrooms, pledged to address cultural issues among district staff, especially at Graham & Parks Elementary School, and said Tuesday that he was elevating Cambridge Rindge and Latin School Principal Damon Smith to interim Chief Operating Officer, Murphy’s old position.

In doing so, his tenure bears an uncanny resemblance to the leader of another Cambridge educational institution: Alan M. Garber ’76, who — after being named interim Harvard president following Claudine Gay’s resignation — made a series of consequential decisions that ultimately won him the role full-time.

Indeed, Murphy may follow along the same trajectory.

The School Committee has left open the possibility of Murphy stepping up to lead the district permanently, and some members indicated Tuesday that he may continue in the role until December 2025 while they search for a replacement.

And at the meeting, several members praised Murphy’s move to fill central administrative roles through the existing pool of CPS employees: appointing Smith interim COO; Chief Equity Officer Manuel J. Fernandez as assistant superintendent; Chad Leith ’92 as chief accountability officer; and Desiree Phillips as executive director for special education. Both Fernandez and Leith will serve on an interim basis.

He also named assistant CRLS principal Allan Gehant to lead the school on an interim basis.

“Many of you have asked for a focused, slimmed down administration where everybody has a very clear portfolio and a unique portfolio,” said Elizabeth C.P. Hudson. “That is, I think, what we’re seeing.”

As for the search for a permanent superintendent, the School Committee seemed intent on taking things slow.

They discussed three possible search timelines resulting in making formal job offers either in December 2024, April 2025, or December 2025. According to the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, hiring for superintendent positions generally occurs in December.

Though they tabled the final decision until a later meeting, members said they did not want to rush the process — especially after their last superintendent, Greer, resigned after months of public criticism over her hiring processes and a middling School Committee evaluation.

“I’m committed to taking as long as it takes — knowing that it can’t go forever,” added Mayor E. Denise Simmons, who chairs the committee.

Eight parents, educators, and citizens similarly demanded in public comments that the committee prioritize stakeholder feedback in the superintendent search — adopting a longer timeline if necessary.

“You owe it to the community, the educators, and to the children of the district to do your due diligence,” said Rebecca S. Lester, a Graham & Parks parent.

Simmons added that members will be able to align priorities and improve their collaboration ahead of the search in a Sept. 26 retreat — though she added that the committee would not discuss the search in private.

Committee members will also take part in a diversity, equity, and inclusion training in the coming weeks, as well as a meeting with Glenn Koocher ’71 — a former School Committee member and executive director of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees — on best practices for the search, Simmons wrote in a Sept. 10 memo to the committee.

“We have to know what we want and that’s why this training is being set up: to give us an opportunity,” Simmons said.

“We don’t know each other,” Simmons added. “It’s like an arranged marriage. They send us here and say, ‘Now go work, now play nice with each other.’”

Correction: September 19, 2024

A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Desiree Phillips was appointed interim director of special education. In fact, she waas permanently appointed to the role.

—Staff writer Darcy G Lin can be reached at darcy.lin@thecrimson.com.

—Staff writer Emily T. Schwartz can be reached at emily.schwartz@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @EmilySchwartz37.