Littleton School Committee questions superintendent finalist on budgets and belonging

LITTLETON — April 1, 2026 — Littleton School Committee interviews superintendent finalist in formal open-session process. The five-member committee — Chair Justin McCarthy, Vice Chair Binal Patel, Clerk Elaine Santelmann, and members Jeanine Wood and Sean Aherne — put 14 prepared questions to Mrs. Gajeka, an elementary school principal with 27 years of experience whose career has spanned K-through-12 administration, including a decade as assistant principal at Spalding Memorial Elementary School and seven years as building principal. Gajeka described eliminating her own assistant principal position this year rather than cut classroom teachers or paraprofessionals, saying "it's not okay for me to ask my staff to sacrifice if I'm not also willing to sacrifice." She also outlined a community volunteer program she helped launch using retired teachers and senior residents to provide student interventions after her district lost interventionist funding. McCarthy told Gajeka the committee wants a superintendent who "doesn't just wait for there to be something you have to communicate," while Patel said the next leader must recognize the job "is probably too big for one person if not done correctly." The committee noted Gajeka is the only finalist without a seated central-office position. A follow-up School Committee meeting was scheduled for April 2, 2026.