Regional School Committee Praises Superintendent After Announcement of Her Resignation

Report on the Meeting of the Amherst Regional School Committee, June 30, 2026

This meeting was held over Zoom and was recorded.

Reflection on School Committees’ Role in Superintendent’s Resignation
In the wake of Superintendent E. Xiomara Herman’s (Dr. Xi) June 26 announcement that she will resign at the end of the 2026-27 school year, Regional School Committee (RSC) members Jenny Bradbury (Pelham) and Sarah Marshall (Amherst) expressed dismay at the adversarial tone of many school committee meetings over the past year and hoped discussions would show more respect and civility in the future.

Bradbury and Marshall’s statements followed the reading of a letter expressing similar sentiments signed by 27 district administrators, building administrators, and Central Office staff.

Bradbury stated, “I am really happy that that public comment was made by so much of the leadership in this district, and I hope that the other members of these school committees will take it to heart. I am deeply disappointed in the behavior that has led to Dr. Xi’s decision not to stay. I think that is not serving our students [and] families. We’re going to lose a lot of progress that has been made. I have also been really disappointed by the tone of a lot of the conversations by the fact that I think people are very focused on their own agendas and not thinking broadly about what is in the interest of our students and our families. I was struck by the incredible breadth of the work that Dr. Xi and her team have had to take on this year and disappointed by how little of that work these committees actually talk about.”

She concluded, “I hope that moving forward we can try to be more constructive, to be more focused on recognizing not just where there is room for improvement, but also where successes are happening, and that we can try to be more supportive of the folks who are working tirelessly every day on our behalf.”

Marshall concurred. She stated, “I am deeply saddened by Dr. Xi’s decision not to seek renewal of her contract. I think her departure will be a terrible loss for our students, our staff, and our system. I think we should all be reflecting, although Dr. Xi has not given us insight into the reasons for her decision, I think we can all consider what role we may have played. But I look forward to a very productive year ahead. I know she will continue to dedicate 80 hours a week to our students.”

In response, Dr. Xi told the RSC, “Serving these districts has truly been one of the greatest honors of my professional career. It has caused me to grow as a leader and to look at a different perspective, because the uniqueness of this role is that you have three completely different school committees. You have three completely different district populations and two elementary [districts] that serve our region, but the needs are different. So, it has really pushed leadership, but with a dynamic team community we are able to move forward in supporting our students, families, educators, and leaders through a period of transition.”

She stated that her top priority is “making sure that these districts are positioned for continued success by establishing strong systems that promote accountability, consistency, and organizational effectiveness. This is not about Dr. Xi. This is about the children and the districts being in a well-positioned place to move forward.”

Evaluation of the Superintendent: “Needs Improvement“
The RSC unanimously accepted the “Composite Summative Evaluation of the Superintendent” compiled by William Sherr (Pelham), assigning a composite score of “Needs Improvement”. The 27-page document acknowledged the “extraordinary scope and complexity of implementing the Amherst K-6 restructuring while maintaining daily operations” and responding to fiscal challenges.

The evaluation praised Dr. Xi’s organizational leadership in bargaining negotiations and improvement in management systems. However, some RSC members cited the need for greater transparency in fiscal decision-making, clearer communication regarding budget rationale and operational decisions, and stronger collaboration with the school committees.

The report concludes, “Overall, the Committee concludes that the Superintendent demonstrated meaningful accomplishments in instructional leadership, operational management, strategic planning, and organizational improvement while recognizing that continued growth is needed in communication, stakeholder engagement, collaboration, policy implementation, and organizational trust.”

Dr. Xi thanked the three RSC members who “took the time to meet with me prior to tonight’s meeting. I value the opportunity to engage in thoughtful conversation, seek clarification, and better understand your perspectives. Meaningful evaluation is built on honest feedback, open dialogue, and a shared commitment to continuous improvement.” She reserved the right to submit her own written response to the evaluation for inclusion in the official record.

The Amherst School Committee meeting followed that of the RSC. Their evaluation, compiled by Chair Deb Leonard also gave the superintendent a composite score of “Needs Improvement.” Again, the need for more communication was stressed. The ASC also wanted the district to make greater progress on equity goals and to ensure that plans are implemented with clear accountability and measurable outcomes.

Wellness Report Evaluates District’s Nutrition and Health
As stated by RSC policy ADF, the district is required to have a Wellness Committee that meets at least twice during the year and submits a report. This year’s report evaluated nutrition, allergy awareness practices, physical activity opportunities, hygiene and health curriculum, and lead testing at facilities. The Wellness Committee consisted of Interim Student Services Director JoAnn Smith, Executive Director of Student Success Tanya McIntyre, and members of the food service and health staff, as well as community members.

The report made the following recommendations for the coming school year:
● Revise the membership section of Policy ADF to better reflect the policy’s focus areas.
● Establish the Wellness Committee membership and meeting calendar at the beginning of the school year.
● Schedule at least two meetings in advance, with the option to add additional meetings if needed.
● Develop a standing agenda structure aligned to the major areas of Policy ADF: Nutrition/Food, Physical Activity, Health Education, and Social/Emotional Well-Being.
● Create a process for tracking action items between meetings, including who is responsible and the expected timeline.
● Develop clearer district guidance about food brought into schools, school-sponsored events, fundraisers, allergy-aware practices, and communication expectations.
● Ensure the annual wellness report is drafted and submitted to the Superintendent and School Committee by the end of the academic year.

In addition, the committee recommended that the Mental Health Administrator be added to the committee in the future.