School Committee votes to negotiate superintendent contract extension
Wellesley School Committee enters superintendent contract negotiations 3-2 amid community pushback. Chair Niki Ofenloch, Vice Chair Linda Chow, and Secretary Illana Nissenbaum voted to negotiate an extension with Superintendent David Lussier; Members Robert Sullivan and Costas Panagopoulos opposed.
School Committee · Meeting of June 18, 2026
Wellesley School Committee enters superintendent contract negotiations 3-2 amid community pushback. Chair Niki Ofenloch, Vice Chair Linda Chow, and Secretary Illana Nissenbaum voted to negotiate an extension with Superintendent David Lussier; Members Robert Sullivan and Costas Panagopoulos opposed. The vote followed extensive public comment from the Wellesley Educators Association, parents, and community leaders citing staffing cuts, administrative compensation, diversity concerns, and heat conditions in school buildings lacking air conditioning.
The committee unanimously approved a 0.5 percent merit increase for Lussier and voted 4-1 to approve his 2025-2026 summative evaluation, with Sullivan dissenting.
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Source: the School Committee meeting of June 18, 2026, compiled from the official minutes.
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