Town Government
School Committee & Superintendent
The Superintendent
James Reilly, Ed.D.
Sterling does not run its own school system. Its public schools are part of the Wachusett Regional School District, which it shares with Holden, Paxton, Princeton and Rutland, and about 6,427 students across those five towns start their day in one district. One person answers for all of it: James Reilly, the Superintendent, proposes the district budget, sets academic priorities, and runs the schools day to day. The Superintendent is hired by and reports to the elected School Committee, which evaluates him each year. Because the district is regional, that committee answers to five towns at once, which is why a Sterling parent’s school question travels to a committee that Sterling shares rather than to one the town controls alone.
| Role | Superintendent, Wachusett Regional School District |
|---|---|
| District | Holden, Paxton, Princeton, Rutland, and Sterling |
| Website | wrsd.net |
The School Committee
The Wachusett Regional School District Committee is made up of members elected by the voters of the five member towns, with each town’s number of seats set by its share of the district’s population. Sterling elects three of those members. The committee sets district policy, approves the school budget, and hires and evaluates the Superintendent who runs the schools day to day. Its meetings are public, which means a Sterling resident or student who shows up can speak.
Sterling’s three seats on the district committee are held by Linda Helen Woodland, Paula Leftwich, and Brian Cline. Woodland chairs the full Wachusett Regional committee. At the town election on May 11, 2026, voters re-elected Woodland to a three-year term and elected Leftwich to a one-year term, while Cline continues in the seat he won in 2025.
Linda Helen Woodland
Paula Leftwich
For the full district committee, its officers, and meeting dates, see wrsd.net.
The District at a Glance
- Enrollment: about 6,427 students, PreK through 12.
- Schools: 13, including Wachusett Regional High School in Holden.
- Graduation rate: 93.9%.
- State data: DESE profile (code 07750000).
Meetings & Participation
- When: on the district’s posted schedule, with agendas at wrsd.net.
- Public comment: residents may address the committee. Check the agenda for sign-up details.
- Watch: meetings are posted online through the district.
- Subcommittees: much of the detailed work on budget, policy, and facilities happens in subcommittees.
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