School Committee Chair resigns after accepting superintendent job

Old Rochester Regional School Committee Chair Jim O’Brien has resigned from his post in light of his new job as superintendent of the Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational High School.

“It’s bittersweet for me,” he told his fellow School Committee members on Wednesday night.

He said members of the community asked him to consider running for the committee three terms ago after there were four different principals in five years at the high school. During his time on the committee, O’Brien said he helped to hire junior high Principal Kevin Brogioli, was part of the search committee that hired Superintendent Doug White, and helped form the assistant superintendent position.

“I thank everyone for their patience with me along the way,” O’Brien said.

With O’Brien’s seat empty, the School Committee members voted in Paul Goulet, the vice chair, to fill the seat. Cheryl Hebert was then voted in as vice chair.

Since O’Brien is a Rochester representative, a new member will be appointed by the Rochester School Committee to fill the empty space on the ORR School Committee until the next election.