BEVERLY — A special education director at Hamilton-Wenham Regional School District and a grammar school principal in Methuen are the two top choices to replace Assistant Superintendent Marie Galinski.
She takes over July 1 as the superintendent when James Hayes retires and becomes a superintendent in New Hampshire, and the School Committee will publicly interview the two candidates tonight.
Maryellen Duffy has been director of education services in the Hamilton-Wenham Regional School District since 2003. Before that, from 2002 to 2003, she worked as the curriculum director of math and science at Hudson Public Schools and was the program adviser for science at Andover High School from 1997 to 2002.
Duffy also taught science at high schools in Amesbury, Newburyport and Andover from 1978 to 2002.
She received a Master of Arts in teaching, biological sciences and education from Smith College and a Doctor of Education in science and math education from the University of Massachusetts Lowell.
Brandi Lee Kwong has been supervising principal of pre-kindergarten through eighth grade at Comprehensive Grammar School in Methuen since 2004. Before that, from 2002 to 2004, she served as the associate principal of grades five through eight at the same school, and also taught eighth-grade science and social studies in Tewksbury and Miles River Middle School in Hamilton between 1996 and 2002.
Kwong also teaches contemporary thinking and learning as a visiting assistant professor at Salem State College.
She received a master of science education from Boston University and a doctor of educational leadership from UMass Lowell.
If you go
What: School Committee interviewing candidates for assistant superintendent position
When: Tonight at 7
Where: Memorial Building conference room, 502 Cabot St.
Raw Video: Hail Storm Batters Oklahoma City
California's Foie Gras Ban About to Begin
6-Year-Old Going to National Spelling Bee
Video Essay: Funky Winkerbean Comic Turns 40
On Thailand Trip, Suu Kyi Visits Migrants
Raw Video: Pink Diamond Auctioned for $17.4M
Hurricane Andrew Remembered, 20 Years Later
Sister Says She Reported Brother in Patz Killing
Patz Suspect's Sister: I Went to Police in 1980s
Diplomatic Expulsions Follow Fresh Syria Report
15 Dead in Northern Italy's 5.8-magnitude Quake
Witness Describes Fla. Face-chewing Attack
Man Falls Off Crane, Dies After Police Standoff
Russia Condemns Ally Syria Over Massacre of 108
Dairy Farm Uses Chiropractor to Help Cows
Unexpected Smog in Pristine National Parks
Air Canada Plane Makes Emergency Landing
New Ticks Spread Across Southeast, Diseases Rise
Bring Your Own Tech Programs Charge Up Students
Service Dogs Help Wash. Soldiers Battling PTSD
