A year-long search process for the next superintendent for Holyoke Public Schools ended Thursday night when the School Committee selected Assistant Superintendent Jackie Glasheen to be the next person to lead the district forward. With that decision made, the remaining step in the process is contract negotiations to finalize salary.
The other two finalists were Carmen Melendez Quintero, executive director of inclusive education at Boston City Schools, and Annie Azarloza, interim superintendent of schools at Northumberland, Stratford & Stark Schools in New Hampshire.
“We had three excellent candidates,” said School Committee Chair Dr. Yadilette Rivera-Colón, noting that Mrs. Glasheen “will hit the ground running. She knows the district. She knows where we are a strong and where we are not doing well. She knows where we need to focus so we can continue to improve.”
This July will mark the first time in more than a decade that HPS will be led by a superintendent who was selected by the Holyoke School Committee following an intensive search and interview process.
In April 2015, Massachusetts placed Holyoke Public Schools under state receivership and appointed Dr. Stephen Zrike as receiver to oversee the district. During the 10 years of receivership, HPS had three receivers, including Anthony Soto who took on the role of interim superintendent in July 2025 when local governance was restored. Mr. Soto chose not to apply for the permanent superintendent position when it was posted in December 2025. He plans to remain at Holyoke Public Schools as chief of finance and operations.