Interim super Doug Slaughter pledges stability in the year ahead

When former Superintendent Michael Morris took a medical leave in May of 2022, and then returned in July, only to resign from his position one month later–stating that he was in “an untenable position” following allegations of transphobia at ARMS reported in The Graphic–one person stepped up in both instances to fill his shoes: district Finance Director Doug Slaughter.

Slaughter has been managing the town’s budget and finances ever since his move to Amherst in the ‘90s to obtain his PhD in chemical engineering.

First, Slaughter held a position on the Amherst Finance Committee and held offices in town government. Through this work of budget preparation, he began learning the ins-and-outs of finance, “and school finance, in particular,” he said.

In 2006, he began his work in the district as a part time employee and eventually signed a contract in 2007. “That’s essentially how I came into the department within the district in that realm of information systems,” he said. His work with information systems included computer programming and computer consulting.

Slaughter obtained his superintendent’s license early in his time in Amherst. “I thought about that as a potential career direction,” he said. When the position of superintendent needed to be filled amidst a chaotic four months, Slaughter stepped into that role. “Being around the district for a long time, I know intimately the details of different aspects of how the district works,” he said.

He currently holds the responsibilities of both a superintendent and a finance director.

Slaughter said his main goal is to provide stability for the district. “I’m appreciative of the things I don’t know, and try to be humble about that, and continue to recognize what I do and don’t know and what I need to learn in that regard,” he said. 

Slaughter’s experience with the budget is showing its value. As superintendent, this knowledge of the budget helps to influence decisions with a more in depth understanding of each situation.

For this year in particular, the school’s budget will allocate funds to “some additional professional development,” Slaughter said. There were previous training sessions for teachers and staff to participate in and learn from, but this year the focus will shift to repairing the harm done to transgender students, building a more LGBTQ+ inclusive school district, and “supporting students and staff,” he said.

The permanent superintendent position is still up for grabs, but Slaughter is conflicted about if he will apply. “I’m wanting the best person to be in that role. It’s the school committee and the community’s decision to make and so I want to be supportive of that,” he said. 

Slaughter hopes to provide stability for all the people in our district, and continue the mission of a superintendent. “We’re trying to create an environment, in all the different forms of that word, that promotes the greatest success for students,” Slaughter said.