I cannot find her complete resume on line but here is what I have found.

The Sandwich committee appointed Johnson to serve as interim superintendent on May 21 until it found a permanent replacement. Johnson had been the district’s director of curriculum since July 2007.

Committee Ponders New Contract Offer To Superintendent

Johnson to become superintendent of Sandwich schools – - Wicked Local – Cape Cod

[February 05, 2010]
Survey: Sandwich teachers work in fearful environment

Sandwich district cuts new hireBy George Brennan
gbrennan@capecodonline.com
November 20, 2009 – 2:00 AM

Sandwich school chief cashes in vacation time“>Sandwich school chief cashes in vacation time

Mary Ellen Johnson files new legal challengeBy George Brennan
gbrennan@capecodonline.com
March 24, 2011

Sandwich Superintendent Johnson defends record

Dr. Johnson’s Evaluation Turns Emotional

Embattled Superintendent Chronical
October 2008: Mary Ellen Johnson is hired as Sandwich superintendent of schools.

April 28, 2010: School board holds meeting to consider contract extension, but recesses to April 30.

April 30: In a closed-door session, the school board votes to extend Johnson’s contract.

May 6: Two new members are elected to the school committee, both opponents of Johnson.

May 18: The district attorney finds the April 30 meeting was not properly posted – a violation of the state Open Meeting Law.

June 16: The school committee votes 4-3 not to extend Johnson’s contract when her current contract expires at the end of June 2011.

Nov. 1: Johnson sues the school committee in an effort to save her job.

March 10, 2011: Judge dismisses Johnson’s wrongful termination suit.

Pia Durkin is superintendent of schools of Attleboro, Massachusetts and a former associate director at the Annenberg Institute for School Reform. Durkin joined the Attleboro schools in 2006, Lowell, is more than twice the size of the Attleboro Public Schools.

According to her profile:

Pia Durkin’s work focuses on supporting districts in the use of tools and resources to improve teaching and learning at scale; she brings a strong background in special education and is an advocate for a systemic continuum of supports for students with and without disabilities, rather than isolated initiatives. She’s held a number of leadership positions in urban education systems: superintendent in Narragansett, Rhode Island; assistant superintendent in Boston Public Schools for five years, where she led the reorganization of district services and the realignment of resources; director of special education for six years in Providence; and teacher, professional development coordinator, and supervisor over nineteen years with the New York City Board of Education. She holds a master’s degree and Ph.D. from New York University

One of the 5 finalist for Supt. is involved in a lawsuit against her present employer and is trying to stop them from filling her job until the lawsuit is settled. Teachers are supporting the Supt. this sounds familar.

According to the Cape Cod Times from March 17th :

Before the finalists were announced, Supt. Mary Ellen Johnson once again attempted to stop the process. She handed out a letter from her attorney saying he intends to appeal a judge’s decision to dismiss her breach of contract lawsuit against the school board.

Johnson sat through the entire discussion on the finalists. Her contract expires June 30.

According to Jenn (Scoop) Myers in the breaking news section of the Sun’s web page:

The five finalists for the Lowell superintendent of schools position are:

* Jean Franco, deputy superintendent for curriculum and instruction for the Lowell Public Schools.

* Charles Wilson, an educational consultant and former superintendent of schools in Pelham, N.Y.

Jenn had reported this morning that Asst. Supt. Jay Lang was not going to be among the finalists

HElP ! I realize no one has ever or will ever accuse me of being too bright and I have a very limited knowledge of the financial situation of the Lowell School Dept but when I read today’s Sun I got a little upset.

Last week I pointed out that this committee cut the Library/Media aides that serve students from elementary through High School. At that point they stated that they had to cut a Million dollars and there was nothing they could do.

Last Sept. when they received Federal Money from the Race to the Top program I commended this committee on their choice to save it for the 2011/2012 school year to avoid more devastating cuts. I have constantly challenged Paul Georges for being greedy when the schools have no money.

So imagine how I felt this morning when I read in a story about Lowell High launches tool for schoolwork tracking by computer, smartphone and saw this mentioned in a simple matter of fact manner. Lang did tell the committee that projections show the current year’s budget is expected to end with a potential surplus of $1.2 million in the district’s salary account. Additionally, the unemployment compensation account is also expected to have a surplus of about $400,000 at the end of the year.

$1.6 Million dollars in excess? Why is this committee finding out this now? Where were these “projections” in December or January when we could have brought these much needed positions back to assist the students? Parents at the High School were concerned about not having enough Guidance Councilors to assist students with College applications and letters and were told there was no money for replacements.

Paul Georges has a legitimate complaint when positions have been cut yet we are told we may have a $1.6 Million surplus? How does that happen and why did we NOT have these projections MONTHS earlier?

Asst. Supt for fiance Jay Lang (who according to word on the street this morning DID NOT make it to the final 5 finalist for Supt.) needs to inform this community and school committee why in April we “project” a surplus and why we could not project that in December or January. Supt. Chris Scott needs to be asked why has his supervisor she didn’t know and if she did why wasn’t this information shared with the public and the committee?

The Lowell School Committee will try to spin this as positive for next year but tell that to all the students who were deprived of library and media support in a technology driven society!

Why do we have a surplus if ALL THESE CUTS WERE REALLY NEEDED???