New Wakefield Superintendent Starts With Focus on Listening, Accessibility

Wakefield’s new superintendent of schools, Dr. Stephen Zrike, has been on the job for less than a month and so far reports a positive, welcoming start with a focus on meeting the community and hearing what residents have to say.

In a recent conversation with Wakefield Patch, Zrike, who officially started July 15th, reported that in recent weeks on Wednesdays from 1 to 3 p.m. he has been meeting with members of the community at the downtown ice cream shop Cravings, on Main Street. Zrike says that he will continue this through August, although the location may shift to another Wakefield business. 

“At this point I still feel like I’m learning and listening,” said Zrike. “There’s a lot of people to reach out to.” He added that he sees “a lot of positive momentum” in the school district, citing the ongoing Galvin Middle School project, among other things. 

Zrike also noted that members of the community may call the Wakefield School District office to arrange a meeting during his Friday morning office hours. Later this month, he will reportedly be meeting with the district’s teachers.

Along with working to get to know the community, Zrike said that he plans to be a regular presence in Wakefield’s schools.

“The community should know that I’m going to be in the schools a lot,” said Zrike. “For schools to grow, it’s important for the superintendent to know what’s happening in the schools – interacting with the people making a difference for children every day.”

While much of his focus is on meeting the community at this point, Zrike indicated that he will also be working on an entry plan that will likely include a presentation before the school committee sometime in November or December.

Soon after beginning his duties in Wakefield, Zrike sent the following letter to the community.