“It all had to do with student achievement,” Grassi says.

Price says mergers did factor into his vote—but not because of D’Alessandro’s specific proposals. He says her handling of the issue exemplified her tendency toward inefficiency.

“I think it’s pure and simple accountability,” he says. “Back in June, it was ‘I just need a few more weeks,’ and it was five months.”

As she enters her final months, D’Alessandro has already begun to follow a committee mandate that she involve families, administrators and school council members in brainstorming for a revised merger plan.

And Price told her at last week’s meeting that she might find the process easier to manage now that her fate has been decided.

“Without the burden of having to please us from now through September, I can’t wait to see you go into action, say what you need to say, do what you need to do and blow the doors off all the things that need to happen this year,” he said.

Nowhere To Turn

In 1997, D’Alessandro lost her superintendent job with the Lee County schools when the school board fired her in a dispute over a Bible studies class that the board approved.

The school committee’s decision last week did not come after a single battle. Instead, D’Alessandro has continually lost support—until she had nowhere to turn.

Even Grassi, usually one of her staunchest supporters, voted against renewing her contract.

Both parents and committee members say a lack of decisiveness mired D’Alessandro’s term.

“She failed to move forcefully,” says parent Leah Greenwald.

“We need someone that’s going to be a very strong figure who’s going to come in and say this is what the research shows and this is where you are and this is what you have to do to support children,” Grassi says. “We need someone who will articulate a clear-cut plan and a vision.”

But Fantini, her one supporter, says the decision to fire D’Alessandro stemmed from an opposite problem—the committee’s anxiety that she had overstepped her authority.

“I think the superintendent was starting to feel real comfortable being a strong educational leader and I get the sense that some of the members don’t want a strong educational leader,” he says. “They want someone they can micromanage and can control.”