WINDSOR — Hartford’s former superintendent will serve as associate director of student support services in the Windsor Southeast Supervisory Union beginning in mid-August, according to an email announcement to Windsor Southeast staff last week.

Tom DeBalsi, 60, who left his post in Hartford this summer a year before his contract was to end, had been superintendent of the Hartford School District since 2011. The Hartford School Board came under scrutiny earlier this month when the terms of DeBalsi’s severance package became public.

Before sitting in Hartford’s top spot, he worked in special education and instructional support in the Mascoma Valley Regional School District and the Windsor Central (now Mountain Views) Supervisory Union.

“We are thrilled to have his years of special education and leadership experience on our team,” Katie Ahern, Windsor Southeast’s director of student support services, wrote in last week’s announcement.

Windsor Southeast, which includes Windsor-area schools, went without an associate director of student support services last school year, WSESU Superintendent Christine Bourne said in an email when asked about DeBalsi’s hiring.

“We are thrilled to have found a highly qualified individual to fill the position,” Bourne wrote. “Tom brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in special education to our team and will play a crucial role in meeting the needs of our students.”

Under his one-year contract with the Windsor Southeast Supervisory Union, DeBalsi will receive a salary of $100,000, plus health benefits, for the 2024-2025 school year.

DeBalsi did not respond to an emailed request for comment by deadline.

Likewise, Hartford School Board Chairman Kevin Christie did not respond to a request for comment about DeBalsi’s new post by deadline.

The Hartford School Board has faced backlash from some residents over the circumstances of DeBalsi’s departure, particularly the decision to pay him a severance package worth more than $210,000, despite suggesting that it was the superintendent’s decision to go.

The Hartford board announced in a July 3 press release that DeBalsi, whose contract with Hartford did not expire until June 30, 2025, had “tendered his resignation to the board.”

Nine days later, following the board’s release of the severance agreement detailing the payment to DeBalsi, the board issued a second press release referring to the departure as a “retirement,” and explaining the payment as a thank-you gift.

“In recognition of his long service to the district,” the July 12 announcement read, “the District Board concluded that paying him a severance equal to a year’s salary and benefits was an appropriate recognition of his service to the district that would also allow him to retire while the District moves forward with its plans for a new superintendent.”

The board named Caty Sutton, who was previously director of secondary curriculum, instruction and assessment in Hartford, to the position of interim superintendent. The district has contracted with an executive search firm to find a permanent superintendent.

Sutton will earn a salary of $160,000, according to her contract. Her curriculum director post will not be filled this school year, Christie said earlier this month. Instead, other staff will “help out” with the duties assigned to that position, he said.

The Hartford School Board had initially budgeted for two superintendent salaries for the 2024-25 school year, intending for DeBalsi to work on special projects during the new superintendent’s first year.

But in response to increased property tax rate estimates in early 2024, the board made deep budget cuts, including the elimination of 22 teaching and staff positions and four athletic programs. The cost of maintaining two high-level administrative salaries became the target of criticism from Hartford residents, the teacher’s union and district administrators.

The extra position was ultimately removed from the $51 million budget.

At a special meeting on July 18, the Hartford board faced questions for more than an hour from residents, teachers and staff ob jecting to the payment to DeBalsi and wanting to know how the severance agreement had come about. School Board members were unanimous in their support for the severance payout.

“We feel we made the right decision,” board mem ber Nancy Russell said at the meeting.

Christina Dolan can be reached at cdolan@vnews.com or 603-727-3208.