Superintendent Joseph Curtis announced his resignation at Wednesday’s school committee meeting effective June 30th, a year before his contract is up.
It comes after a series of scandals at Pittsfield High School over staff misconduct allegations ranging from drug dealing to sexual relationships with students that broke in late 2024.
“For those who know me, you understand that every decision I've made throughout my career has been guided by one unwavering principle- Doing what I believe is in the best interest of our students," said Curtis. "Their wellbeing, growth and success have always been at the center of my work, my heart, and my soul. I want to be unequivocally clear that no supervisor has requested or prompted this decision. This is a choice that I am making independently, because I firmly believe it is the right time, the right decision for me, for the district and the community I deeply care about.”
Curtis, a veteran district administrator, was named the permanent superintendent in 2021, prompting a resignation from the school committee and criticism from some city councilors.
Berkshire County NAACP head Dennis Powell explained to WAMC at the time why he chose to leave the body in protest over Curtis’s selection.
“I just felt right from the very beginning, that the whole process was rigged," said Powell. “From the selection of the consultant, from the way the search committee was formed, to Joe Curtis stating that he was not going to run for the position and requiring that the school committee give him a contract that promised he would be able to go back as the deputy when a superintendent was selected. And we had no prior knowledge that he had changed his mind and was going to go for the position until we received the applications from the consultant.”
At a December 2024 meeting after the multiple scandals broke, Ward 5 representative Patrick Kavey noted that at the time of Curtis’s ascension he had issued a press release to the school committee saying that the body had failed Pittsfield with its pick.
“The shocking allegations that have continued to come to light underscore the need for a thorough investigation, one that examines not just these allegations, but also the hiring practices, the handling of complaints, and the culture that may have allowed these issues to fester," said the councilor. "A few years ago, we had a chance to start with fresh new leadership in our schools. Instead, the status quo prevailed, ignoring the public outcry for change- And I referred to the school committee's decision at that time as a failure, and I warned of the risks of continuing down the same path.”
The succession of disturbing allegations and suspensions among district staffers provoked outcry from Pittsfielders like Valerie Anderson, who also spoke out at a December meeting.
“It's disgusting, embarrassing, and outrageous that we recently find the dean of students arrested by the FBI for major cocaine trafficking," she said. "The vice principal of Pittsfield High is being investigated for alleged inappropriate sexual activity with students, and a former teacher of deportment is also investigated by DCF. What's going on?”
Curtis was the subject of criticism over a 2022 incident when a reflooring project scheduled during the school week filled two public high schools with dangerous fumes.
Longtime PHS teacher Lisa Ostellino came forward to WAMC with her concerns over the situation at the time.
“My concern is that there was plenty of notice, and I think no one is taking the responsibility that there was notice, and most people are acting as if this is the first time that this has happened," she said. "It is not. It happened in, like I said, when the floors were put in. And the fact that this could have happened at both Pittsfield High School and Taconic without people having prior knowledge is almost laughable to me, because you've got hundreds and thousands of students in a building. You should know who is coming in and out and when.”
Curtis admitted to WAMC that he had received Ostellino’s warning about the fumes before they required an emergency dismissal from the schools and apologized for the situation.
In a statement, first-term Pittsfield Mayor Peter Marchetti said he received Curtis’s announcement with mixed emotions, thanking the superintendent for his 30 years of service to the city’s schools. The mayor said he would work closely with the school committee, district, and community on the search for Curtis’s replacement:
“Throughout this transition, I will remain focused on the well-being of our students, teachers, staff, and families, reaffirming my commitment to ensure that the Pittsfield Public Schools provide the best quality education.”
Pittsfield School Committee chair Dr. William Cameron confirmed to WAMC that the body had not pressured Curtis to resign, and that he is sorry to see him go.
“We're going to look for somebody who can competently lead the district," Cameron told WAMC. "We have a number of initiatives going on which Mr. Curtis deserves the lion's share the credit for initiating, and we need somebody who is capable of moving forward with those while also establishing a good relationship with the diverse community that Pittsfield has become, and so we will be looking for the best person we can who will meet those criteria.”
Cameron says the school committee now has four months to decide on how to fill the superintendent position come June, and that it would likely discuss the issue at its next meeting on February 26th.
Audio from the meeting is provided by Pittsfield Community Television.
