Waterbury mayor hopes new liaison will improve communication between him and superintendent

WATERBURY, Conn. (WTNH) — Waterbury Mayor Paul Pernerewski Wednesday announced the appointment of a liaison he hopes will be the catalyst for better communication between him and the Superintendent of Schools.

Pernerewski said the liaison’s aim will be to bridge the communication gap he said has affected students in the past.

In July, the mayor vetoed the school board’s vote to renew former superintendent Dr. Verna Ruffin’s contract, claiming there were several concerns she contributed to poor teacher morale, low test scores, and communication flaws.

It was also found the Department of Justice had two active investigations which claimed the Waterbury school district mishandled care for special education students, including seclusion rooms and restraints.

“The teachers had expressed a lack of confidence,” Pernerewski said at the time. “The principals had expressed a lack of confidence. I had heard concerns raised by parents about what was going on.”

How, his newly-appointed “educational liaison” will be responsible for helping to resolve issues affecting the school district by engaging with the community of teachers, students and parents while working on “policy creation, strategic planning, media relations, security oversight, and data analysis.”

“Morale for our teachers, faculty, and staff was at an all-time low this past school year. While we are beginning to make strides to raise that morale, (the liaison’s) role will enhance those efforts by focusing on fostering a collaborative environment to address issues impacting the school district and its stakeholders,” Pernerewski said.

Robert Haxhi was named to the new role. He’s an educator who has taught at Wilby High School for three decades, was a significant part in the accreditation process, and founded the school’s soccer program.

“Robert’s education, experience, talents, and abilities make him the perfect candidate for this role,” Pernerewski said.

In July, Pernerewski said the goal was to hire an interim superintendent before the 2024-2025 school year begins. The process to hire a full-time superintendent could take 10 to 12 months.

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