Lynch named Walpole’s superintendent

Lincoln Lynch, Mansfield’s assistant to the superintendent for business affairs, will become superintendent of schools in Walpole starting July 1.

His arrangement with Walpole was finalized Monday, when the Walpole School Committee voted to approve a four-year contract with Lynch, effective July 1 of this year. Lynch will be staying on in Mansfield through the end of the current school year.

Lynch has been assistant superintendent in Mansfield for the last eight years. He has been largely credited with innovative ideas for revenue generation and other cost-saving measures.

“It’s been an honor to serve in Mansfield,” Lynch said. “I’ve always tried to make the best decisions for the kids, and I feel that the business office has had a direct and positive impact on the classroom. We’ve provided a sound organizational structure. We’ve done a lot of cost avoidance and revenue creation. We’ve tried to be creative.”

Mansfield is in the process of its own superintendent search. Lynch said he would have applied for the superintendent position in Mansfield but Mansfield’s requirements for superintendent include some teaching experience. Lynch’s background is in business, having worked in the corporate world for five years before enrolling at Boston College to earn his master’s degree in curriculum and instruction.

Lynch will be sorely missed in Mansfield, school committee members said.

“Linc will certainly be hard to replace, as he had an innovative approach to the handling of the budget in times where state funding has not kept up with the rising costs of education,” said School Committee member Michael Trowbridge. “I am proud that a district saw the qualities that we saw when hiring him and wish him well as he moves on in what will be a long and successful career as a superintendent.”

“It’s certainly a loss for us, but it’s a great opportunity for Linc,” said School Committee Chairman Emil Giordano.

“I’m thrilled for him” School Superintendent John Moretti said. “He is the perfect match for what Walpole needs. He’ll invigorate the system and will bring much-needed financial creativity to the town. We want to thank him for his eight years of dedicated service. As you look at our system, his contributions are very observable.”

Lynch said that the accomplishments he is “most proud of are the integration of technology into the educational environment and the construction, the new fields on the school campus and the wide range of revenue generators for the district.”

Lynch comes from a family of school superintendents. His father was superintendent in Middleboro and in Avon, and his grandfather was superintendent in Norwood.

Having been an assistant superintendent for 20 years, Lynch said he felt the time had come for him to step out of the proverbial lieutenant’s position.

“I’m going to really miss Mansfield, but I’ll be able to make a mark on a district as an individual,” Lynch said. “I truly appreciate the opportunity provided by Mr. John Moretti and the Mansfield School Committee to serve the students and citizens of Mansfield.

“Over the past eight years they have fostered an atmosphere encouraging educational and financial creativity. It is in large part due to Mr. Moretti’s mentorship and strong leadership example that I am now prepared to move on and accept a position of profound responsibility,” Lynch said. “I would like to thank the administrators, faculty and support personnel for their professionalism and support. It has been refreshing to serve within a school community that concentrates on the needs of the students as its number one priority.

“When you take that high road, everything else falls naturally into place.”

Lynch had received a recruiting call asking him to apply for the Walpole position. Of 25 applicants, he was one of seven semi-finalists and then of three finalists. His final interview was a 13-hour event of meetings with a broad range of members of the Walpole school community. Lynch recalls meeting about “10 to 15 people an hour.” They called him at 11 that night and offered him the job.