Elizabeth Legault, a finalist to become Mansfield’s next superintendent, told the Mansfield School Committee on Feb. 8 that she leads by collaboration, frequent school visits and data-driven supports, and that she would prioritize classroom staffing, targeted interventions and broad professional development if hired.

Legault said she seeks to build trust by working closely with principals and staff: "We're a team. And it's a team approach," she said, describing regular principal meetings, walk-throughs and instructional coaching. She summarized her approach to community and conflict this way: "I don't do drama." She said school business should be handled by district staff and kept "in-house" until an appropriate, timely public message is required.

Why it matters: Mansfield is seeking a superintendent to start July 2025 to lead a district with strong overall achievement but ongoing conversations about mental-health supports, inclusion and curriculum alignment. Legault framed her priorities around student supports and classroom capacity, stressing that decisions must be rooted in data and in what improves instruction.

Details from the interview

- Instruction and interventions: Legault described use of multiple assessments (MCAS, MAP and i-Ready) and a multi-tiered system of supports to identify students who need interventions and to deploy instructional coaches and facilitators. She described expanding special-education staff in intermediate grades as an example of interventions that keep students in general-education classrooms: "We have 2 special needs teachers on every team in grades 3, 4, 5 and 6," she said.

- Hiring and retention: Legault said principals should lead hiring for their buildings and then forward top candidates to central office for final review. She emphasized mentoring and a district professional-development program to retain staff and described working with principals to make competitive salary offers for hard-to-fill positions.

- Professional development: She described a district "professional development academy" that combines content-focused training with wellness and team-building sessions, including health-and-wellness days and math and DEI consultants.

- Safety and public health: Legault described regular coordination with police and fire, ALICE training and drills, and a long-standing practice of tabletop exercises with public-safety partners. On public-health response she cited the district's COVID experience and use of local public-health officials and additional cleaning measures during outbreaks.

- Budget approach: Legault said she avoids layoffs and prefers to manage tight years through attrition and cross-district realignments; she noted past success in improving revolving-account balances and said she would begin budget planning early and collaborate with town leadership and unions.

Context and next steps

The committee scheduled 90-minute interviews for each finalist. Legault’s session was one of three public interviews the committee held that day; no hiring decision was made at the meeting. The committee will deliberate and vote in a public meeting on Monday evening, Feb. 10, according to the chair's announcement.

Ending

Legault closed by saying she was excited about Mansfield’s programs and community and that she felt ready for the district’s next step: "It feels that it is the right district for me," she said.