As Cambridge searches for a new school superintendent and struggles to fill a $3.7 million shortfall in its annual schools budget, the newly formed Citywide Parents Organization (CPO) hopes to be an active defender of students' interests.

Created by two parents in November, the group aims to be an "advocate on behalf of all of the children in Cambridge public schools...and help students and teachers of different schools communicate with each other," says Catherine M. Sullivan '75, cofounder of the organization and mother of three children at the King School.

Approximately 200 people, including parents, teachers, students and community members, are involved in CPO, according to Sullivan.

"We have really tapped into a need and desire that people have to work together in a city-wide organization," says Mary Ann Hart, co-founder of CPO and a mother of three.

CPO also hopes to have input in the search for a replacement for School Committee Superintendent Mary Lou McGrath, whose term expires in June and who has indicated she will not seek a renewal of her contract.

"We would like to be a part of that [process]," Sullivan says.

The Cambridge School Committee has not yet ironed out the details of how the superintendent search will work, according to Jim Ball, director of public information for the Cambridge public schools.

Parents, teachers, students and administrators will be involved in the process, according to Ball.

"The whole city really gets involved in this search," says Ball.

The parents of CPO will have as much say in the search process as any other parents in the city, according to Ball.

It is unclear if a new superintendent will be selected by June or if an interim superintendent will be appointed, Hart says.

CPO also hopes to have influence in crafting the school system's budget for the upcoming academic year.

A projected $3.7 million deficit looms in the distance as the School Committee enters into the budgeting period.

School officials recently projected that they will have only $1 million available to pay for $4.7 million in new expenses for 1997-98, the Cambridge Chronicle reported.

At the last CPO meeting, "people expressed grave concerns about what a $3.7 million shortfall would mean," Hart said.