Belair Is Chosen



The Waterford School District has a new leader.

Weston Superintendent Jerome Belair, a 57-year-old Groton Long Point resident, was unanimously approved by the Board of Education Wednesday night as the town's next superintendent. Belair will begin on Feb. 5, with Interim Superintendent Randy Collins staying on until then.

"I'm leaving a great place," Belair said. "But I have always been interested in this community. And most importantly, the board here in Waterford is very committed to continuous improvement."

Belair's career began at Groton Public Schools, where he taught, and eventually moved on to principal at East Lyme High School, where he stayed for 16 years. After, he was hired at Southington and then Weston as an assistant superintendent. In 2006, when the Weston superintendent left for Dubai, Belair took over the district's top post.

With Belair leading the district, Weston students posted some of the highest test scores in the state, Board of Education Chairman Donald Blevins said. But when he found out about the opening in Waterford, Belair jumped at the chance, despite a $30,000 drop in salary.

"Our grandson is very important to us," Belair said of his 13-year-old grandson Alex, who also lives in Groton. "We wanted to be around him."

Belair will make $198,442 annually, the same base salary Collins made in his final year, Blevins said. Belair made over $230,000 a year at Weston, but was willing to take the cut, Blevins said.

"We thought it was important we did not pay him more than Randy," Blevins said.

The official approval of Belair's hiring was the only item Wednesday night at the Board of Education's special meeting in Town Hall. Paul Freeman and Steve Buck, both assistant principals at East Lyme when Belair served as principal, came to congratulate their mentor.

"I have learned more working with him than I did with anybody else," Freeman said, who is now the superintendent of Griswold Schools.

"He is a tough guy to work harder than," Buck said, who is now retired and serves on the Salem Board of Education. "You learn a lot being around him."

Belair will begin his term in the middle of the budget process, which is expected to be difficult. At a Board of Education meeting two weeks ago, Collins said 8 to 18 teachers could be laid off to balance the budget.

"We had one candidate who was interested, and then heard that and backed out," Blevins said.

Belair, who is also crafting Weston's budget, said the fiscal issues would be a challenge. But in the end, the main task will be teaching children, and getting them prepared for the real world, Belair said.

"Running a district is about the teaching and learning," Belair said. "It's more than no child left behind, it's more than CAPT scores… it's about getting these children ready for the 21st century work force."

Collins had served the district for 19 years. He will retire once Belair begins on Feb. 5.