The Boxborough School Committee voted unanimously to appoint Curtis Bates as Superintendent/Curriculum Director for Blanchard and the Boxborough School District beginning July 1, 2006.

Dr. Bates is currently the Principal of the McCarthy Middle School in Chelmsford having been the Principal of the Harrington Elementary School for four years also in Chelmsford. Prior to that, he was the Principal of the Shaker Lane Elementary School in Littleton for ten years. Dr. Bates has also been a Reading Specialist and Grade two and three teacher.

Curtis Bates earned a BS in elementary Education (major) and Early childhood (minor) and an MS degree in Reading from Fitchburg State College. He did post-graduate studies at Assumption College and Worcester State College prior to receiving a CAGS (Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies) from the University of Massachusetts in Lowell. He completed his Doctorate in Education in May, 2003 at Boston College.

The initial applicant pool consisted of 32 candidates. Nine of these candidates were interviewed by a Screening Committee comprised of teachers, administrators, parents and community members. Three of these candidates were forwarded to the School Committee for interviews. Two candidates were invited to visit Blanchard earlier this week for a full day of communicating with teachers, administrators, students and parents.

A variety of references were checked on the final two candidates. This information plus feedback from several sources led the School Committee to vote to appoint Curtis Bates after discussion of the two final candidates.