Swampscott Superintendent Pamela Angelakis penned a farewell letter to the community in the town newsletter, as she enters her final days in the role.
“I could not have asked for a better place than Swampscott,” Angelakis wrote in her thank you letter. “I have been fortunate to work with engaged students, excellent educators, and a committed community.”
Angelakis will retire at the end of the month, concluding a 35-year career with the Swampscott School District. In the newsletter, she reflected on her growth as superintendent and thanked those who supported her along the way.
“Swampscott is a special place where public education is valued and supported by the community,” Angelakis wrote. “The district allowed me to grow in knowledge and experience, which gave me the confidence I needed to succeed as superintendent.”
Angelakis began her career in Swampscott as a teacher aide at the Clarke Elementary School in 1990. In her letter, Angelakis shared that she remembers “distinctly the feelings of excitement and nervousness” on that first day.
She was appointed superintendent in 2013, praised for her “most impressive” resume deep familiarity “with all aspects of this district.” In her letter, Angelakis acknowledged that the School Committee “took a chance on someone with no superintendent experience but a proven commodity in the district with more than two decades of service.”
“I appreciate those who saw my potential as a leader, and I have spent every day since trying to validate their confidence,” Angelakis wrote.
School Committee Chair Glenn Paster said at a meeting in June 2024, when Angelakis announced her intention to retire, that while the superintendent said the selection to appoint her to the role was a “leap of faith,” many saw her as a perfect fit.
“There were some of us in the community who did not view it as a leap of faith,” Paster said at the time. “This was the next step and you were up for it.”
Speaking at graduation last Friday, the superintendent told the graduating class that failure does not define a person. Even if failure is “highly likely,” Angelakis said “we can only hope your rebound is comparable to J.K. (Rowling), Michael (Jordan) or Oprah (Winfrey).”
In a LinkedIn post, Angelakis said she’s bracing for many “lasts” in the coming weeks.
“I’m going to soak up every moment as I wrap up this chapter in my career,” Angelakis wrote.
Jason Calichman, current principal of the Swampscott Middle School, is set to succeed her as superintendent.
“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. “Thank you, Swampscott.”
