LEARN searches for new executive director

Old Lyme — LEARN employees, students, parents and residents met today to participate in a focus group in the search for a new executive director.

Virginia Seccombe, who has run LEARN for 23 years, is retiring at the end of the school year.

LEARN, a regional school consulting agency that runs several magnet schools in southeastern Connecticut, will hold another focus group meeting Monday for various factions of the community.

A 6 p.m. meeting at The Friendship School, 24 Rope Ferry Road, Waterford, is open to parents of students at a LEARN school. At 7 p.m., the meeting will be opened up to member-district boards of education, school administrators, parents and others.

The focus group meetings are designed to help LEARN identify key qualifications that constituents find crucial to the success of the next executive director.

“Input is essential as we move the agency forward and meet the needs of member districts,” Joanne Barmasse, chairman of the LEARN board of directors, said.

Those unable to attend the meeting may take an anonymous online survey, available at www.learn.k12.ct.us through May 8.

Information collected from the focus group meetings will serve as a guideline for candidates and will aid the board of directors in the interview and decision-making process.

A new executive director will be selected this summer and should join LEARN by November.