With Superintendent Pamela Angelakis set to retire at the end of the month, Middle School Principal Jason Calichman is preparing to step into the role.

Calichman will officially assume the role of Swampscott school superintendent on July 1. Angelakis nominated Calichman as her successor, and the School Committee unanimously approved the appointment. School Committee Member Suzanne Wright said at the time that she is “happy to have an internal candidate” take on the role.

“I’m excited for the challenge, and I want to be here to support the teachers and families and kids and make sure that we have the best public school system around,” Calichman said. “I have this tremendous sense of pride about this town and this school system, and I am looking forward to taking us to even the next level.”

Calichman, who grew up in Swampscott, said that he returned to the area with his wife to start a family, partially due to the school district. Prior to his homecoming, Calichman taught for two years in Jersey City, New Jersey and eight years in Wakefield, Massachusetts.

He became the middle school’s assistant principal 13 years ago and has served as principal for nearly a decade. 

He noted that the middle school has “outperformed the state by double digits” in MCAS scores. In 2024, Swampscott Middle School fifth graders outperformed the state average in science, by meeting or exceeding expectations, by 12 percentage points. That same year, eighth graders exceeded the state average in English language arts by 23 percentage points.

“I live in town. I have three kids in the district. I’m so proud of this middle school that I don’t think there’s a better middle school around,” Calichman said. “We’re always looking at ways to get better and make kids feel welcomed.”

During a nearly two-hour public interview, Calichman said one of his top priorities is preventing teacher layoffs due to budget constraints.

Calichman takes on the role of superintendent as Town Meeting Members approved budget reallocations to provide the school district with an additional $130,000, without which School Committee Chair Glenn Paster said would lead to “reduction to core staff.”

He acknowledged that while his experience is rooted in the middle school, he plans to spend more time in the elementary and high schools. Calichman said his goal is to “spend a couple hours each week at each school.”

“I want to keep all the amazing things we have going on here going and also make improvements,” Calichman said. “Somebody new coming in sees things in a different lens, and I think that’s great.”

Calichman said he will discuss with the teachers and staff on what improvements or changes need to be made. He said the end goal, however, is for the students to “feel valued and welcomed.”

“I want our kids to realize they are from a special place,” Calichman said. “They have all these people that care about them. We have so many teachers that live in town and so many teachers that grew up here because they felt this special bond to this place. I know I certainly did, and I want to keep that going, keep that momentum going, where there’s a different sort of pride in our school system than other places.”

Calichman has been working alongside Angelakis since he was selected as the new superintendent last fall. 

“We’ve logged a lot of hours together in so many meetings,” Calichman said. “I’ve learned so much that I feel like hopefully I’ll be able to hit the ground running.”

In a letter to the community in the town newsletter, Angelakis shared her confidence in Calichman.

“I feel strongly that our district is in a great place, and I am confident that Jason Calichman is the right person to sustain the momentum and move it forward,” Angelakis said.