SOUTH HADLEY – Dr. Jahmal Mosley was recently selected the superintendent of South Hadley schools.

South Hadley School Committee Chair Kyle Belanger recalled it being a yearlong process. The committee began in December 2019 putting together a screening search committee headed by Vice Chair Allison Schlachter for the initial pool of candidates. It was narrowed down to three finalists who were interviewed by the five members of the School Committee publicly via streaming and on live television. From there, they had another live open deliberation as a committee, and then came to an agreement to offer the job to Mosley.

“He is a ‘where were you when’ type of candidate – by which I mean, you'll always remember where you were when you first had your first conversation with Dr. Jahmal Mosley,” Belanger expressed. “He is a dynamic, visionary leader who also brings with him a seemingly limitless well of experience in leading school districts of varying sizes. His strength and experiences are such an exciting match for our community. We are so thrilled about the way that his leadership is going to pave the roads for our students, teachers and staff for the next several years.”

Mosley has been in the education field for more than 20 years, working at the elementary level, the middle school level and the high school level.

“I’m really excited about South Hadley,” Mosley told Reminder Publishing. “I’m excited about meeting the students and the community; working with the schools, the School Committee and town. It’s an exciting journey here.”

Mosley grew up in Brockton, where he attended Brockton High School. He graduated from UMass Amherst in 1997 with a Bachelor of Arts degree with a concentration in psychology and African American studies. Then, he received his master’s degree in science in education with a concentration in special needs/elementary and middle school education from Wheelock College in 1998. He later returned to UMass Amherst where he received a doctorate in education with a concentration in education administration, policy and research in 2011.

One of Mosley’s first jobs was a childcare worker, teaching students with social and emotional trauma and needs. From there, he taught in the Cambridge Public Schools as a special education teacher and was a teacher in Worcester for a number of years. He then worked as an assistant principal at Middleborough Public Schools and Brattleboro Union High School in Vermont. Mosley was the principal at Somerset Berkley Regional High School, an assistant superintendent in the Sharon Public Schools and superintendent in Nashua Public Schools.

"I feel like at some point in your career, you reach a point in your life where you have to start thinking about the next steps in your career and what you really want,” Mosley pointed out. “Now, I’m looking for a community and the environment in South Hadley is definitely what I’m looking for. There’s a part of me that I know that people in Nashua are sad to see me go, but at the same time it was very exciting. I'm very humbled with the process and the offer and I don't take it for granted. I really think it's a wonderful opportunity.”

Mosley told Reminder Publishing his first goal as superintendent is to listen, observe and ask questions to get a sense of the culture of the district. He said he wants to keep his eyes and ears open in understanding the community’s needs, but also the district’s strengths. His goal, he said, is to be as accessible and clear and transparent as he can be.

Mosley said his hope is to get the schools back operating and functioning normally under COVID-19. He said everyone is feeling the effects of not being in-person, not speaking and unable to do business the way they used to. Mosley explained that he feels “it’s about collaboration” and understanding the needs of the children, the community and what works.

“My goal is to get to know the community. To let them know they have a superintendent that’s going to be invested not for the short term, but for the long run,” Mosley stated. “Understanding where we’re at not just in COVID, but beyond COVID and into the future.”