In-district high school principal lone superintendent finalist; Search is extended until mid-February.

• Position: LOCAL NEWS

Byline: Bradford L. Miner

NORTH BROOKFIELD - Since taking the reins at the junior-senior high school in spring 2007, Robin Whitney has watched over an improvement in Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System scores, a turnaround in school choice departures, and a philosophy of treating each student as an individual learner.

And while the School Committee has asked the Superintendent Search Committee to dip into the candidate pool once again, Ms. Whitney, one of two finalists for the superintendent's job in an initial screening, said this week, "I'm in this for the long haul."

School Committee members this week extended the search until Feb. 18 and extended the contract of interim Supt. Gordon L. Noseworthy until the end of the school year, unless the post is filled before then.

Jim Metcalf, School Committee member, said the search committee had completed a site visit with Ms. Whitney and was about to visit the other district when the candidate - Mansfield High School Principal Joseph M. Aruszczak - decided to stay put because of a death in the family.

Mr. Metcalf said he and other members of the School Committee were heartened Tuesday night by the show of support from high school teachers and others for Ms. Whitney's promotion.

In her quest to succeed Erin M. Nosek as school superintendent, Ms. Whitney said her administrative strengths, which have been successful at the junior-senior high school building, are applicable across the small, one-town district.

She has proposed a different administrative model from the one currently in place. If she is named superintendent, she said, her...