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SPENCER/EAST BROOKFIELD – Paul Haughey, superintendent of the Spencer-East Brookfield School District, will not continue in that role beyond June 30, 2027.
The announcement was recently made in order to give the district a full year to find a successor
Haughey said the decision “after deep reflection,” to make the 2026-2027 school year his last was not the result of “specific external circumstances or alternative plans,” as there are none to share at this time.
“I’d like to emphasize that my immediate focus remains entirely on the district’s success for the upcoming school year and working with the School Committee to ensure a seamless leadership transition,” Haughey said in an email.
Haughey started working in the district in July 2018. Previously, he worked for the Blackstone-Millville Regional School District as director of curriculum and instruction, principal of Millville Elementary School and director of student services.
He also was the administrator of special education at Dover-Sherborn Regional Schools when it was ranked as one of the top three high-performing districts in the state and held administrative positions in Uxbridge Public Schools.
Proud moments in the district
The superintendent told The Spencer Journal that he is most proud of the progress that has been made in academic programming, infrastructure, financial transparency and environmental sustainability since 2018.
Among the accomplishments he highlighted were expansion of Advanced Placement (AP) courses, Early College initiatives and dual-enrollment opportunities that allowed students to earn college credits at no cost through an approved partnership with Worcester State University.
Haughey also cited the launch of hands-on Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) enrichment programs; the bolster of special education and English Language Education (ELE) programs; and the introduction of a pre-K through elementary reading program to boost engagement.
Also, Haughey noted that a 1:1 student device initiative equips every student with a laptop or tablet alongside expanded Wi-Fi infrastructure.
He referred to the school district becoming the only Massachusetts nominee for the federal U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools award and its elementary schools’ Purple Star Award Designation for their support of military-connected families.
Haughey also mentioned his pride in the state-backed and district-wide daily breakfast and lunch services offered at no cost to resident families.
Building project is major undertaking
A major part of his tenure has been coordination of the David Prouty High School Building Project (expected to conclude this summer). The project’s features include a new auditorium, cafeteria and fields as well as updated science facilities.
Calling the project “a major win,” for SEBRD, Haughey noted the construction and renovations have been “logistically demanding,” because they involved simultaneously operating out of new and old spaces and required extensive coordination to keep classes operating safely on an active construction site.
Major challenges recalled
However, the district has not been without challenges since 2018.
The most significant, Haughey said, was navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused “monumental disruptions.”
Like others across the nation, Haughey said, “The district had to rapidly pivot to remote learning, strictly enforce social distancing mandates, reconfigure busing and completely rethink the distribution of food and technology to families across Spencer and East Brookfield.”
The fallout from remote learning and the pandemic led to “significant social-emotional needs across the student body,” according to the superintendent. In response, expanded supports, mentoring programs and mental health interventions were offered.
Another challenge, he said, was navigating major infrastructure setbacks, including a burst pipe in December 2025 that flooded David Prouty High School and resulted in required emergency closures, structural repairs and a state waiver to adjust the school year calendar for 2025-2026.
Impact of override failure noted
Failure of a May 2026 override ballot question for the SEBRD operating budget also presented significant consequences, Haughey said.
“The (override failure) forces the district to operate under a minimum local contribution budget, exacerbating challenges with inflation, rising special education costs and expiring aid programs,” he said. “The School Committee and I have previously noted that without new revenue, the district’s ability to maintain existing programming, keep pace with state mandates and secure specialized staff is compromised.”
When asked what the impacts are, Haughey talked about the inability to hire new staff for non-core electives, enrichment programs and alternative education programs “designed to support students struggling to meet state requirements.”
He said budget shortfalls placed a strain on legally mandated costs for out-of-district special education tuitions and transportation and increased the gap where increases for utilities, heating and contractual salaries “outpace available funding.”
Haughey noted in an email:
“As the chief child advocate and senior advisor to the School Committee, each year, I pointed to the need for a standard of educational excellence that current budgets struggle to accommodate – by highlighting the fact that public education is an annual investment in the communities themselves through communication, partnership and support.”
At the state level, Haughey said he advocates for Chapter 70 reforms and a Foundation Budget Review Commission (FBRC) to be established, “something that is sorely overdue and needed.”
More sources of pride spotlighted
When his time in the SEBRD concludes in 2027, Haughey said he would look back at “points of immense regional pride.”
These include:
- The district’s Green Ribbon Award nomination for recognition in environmental impact reduction, wellness and sustainable education;
- The “Cubs Corner” Preschool program’s 2025 Resiliency Award from the Worcester Community Action Council; and
- The expansion of Early College High School summer courses and career & vocational technical education offerings approved by DESE in early education and care, criminal justice, environmental science and sustainability and business/marketing – “meeting the diverse needs of our ever-changing workforce in Central Massachusetts.”
“None of these achievements would’ve been possible without the tremendous partnership and support of the communities-at-large,” Haughey said. “I am so proud of our collective work together – School Committee, operational leadership team, district faculty and staff, alongside our state, community/civic, and business leaders – with and for the students of our regional schools.”