Public Schools
Haverhill School Committee & Superintendent
The Superintendent
Dr. Margaret Marotta, Ed.D.
Dr. Margaret Marotta has run Haverhill Public Schools since July 2018, which makes her the person who turns School Committee policy into what actually happens in your classroom. She arrived with about 25 years in education and human services, much of it spent in district-wide leadership in urban schools.
Her earlier work included turnaround planning in the Boston and Salem Public Schools, and she holds a doctorate in education from Boston University.
| In office | Since July 2018 |
|---|---|
| Office | Haverhill Public Schools, 4 Summer Street, Room 104, Haverhill, MA 01830 |
| Phone | 978-374-3400 |
| Website | haverhill-ps.org |
The School Committee
This is the board with the most direct power over your daily life as a student, and it has 11 seats: seven elected by ward, three elected at-large, and the mayor, who chairs it by holding the office. Members serve two-year terms. Mayor Melinda E. Barrett chairs the committee.
Melinda E. Barrett
Penelope Guerrero
Josiah E. Morrow
Toni A. Sapienza-Donais
Mirca Zoraida Rivera
Robert R. Brown III
Maura L. Ryan-Ciardiello
Amanda J. Basiliere
Dr. Jill T. Story
Yonnie Collins
Thomas W. Grannemann
Members without a direct line above can be reached through the School Committee office: Secretary Beverly McGillicuddy, 978-852-7663, City Hall Room 104.
The District at a Glance
- Enrollment: about 7,732 students across the district.
- Schools: a full set of elementary and middle schools plus Haverhill High School (grades 9-12), the district’s sole comprehensive high school.
- DESE district code: 01280000.
- State profile: enrollment & performance data from the Mass. Department of Elementary & Secondary Education.
Meetings & Participation
- When: regular meetings are usually held on the second and fourth Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m., and once a month in February, July, November and December. Schedules, agendas, and recordings are posted by Haverhill Public Schools, so you can see what is on the table in advance.
- Public comment: meetings set aside time for students, families, and residents to speak directly to the board.
- Get involved: families can also plug in through the district’s Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) and school-based groups.
What this seat decides
Your schools
School Committee. Start times, the school calendar, bus routes and stops, the phone policy, athletics and activity fees, and the policies in the student handbook. It sets district policy, and the total size of the school budget is voted by the City Council.
Your principal and your superintendent. The principal for how a school rule works day to day in your building. The superintendent for how the whole district runs. The School Committee selects the superintendent, and the superintendent appoints the principals, so a question about any other staff member goes to the district, not to the board.
Want to know how Haverhill’s students are actually doing? Dig into the district’s enrollment and performance data.
MassCivics last checked this page on October 24, 2026.
Sources
- School district records: Haverhill Public Schools, School Committee, as of October 2026.
- School district records: Haverhill Public Schools, Superintendent’s Office, as of October 2026.