Wilmington's Former School Superintendent Has Died

WILMINGTON, MA -- After battling health issues that caused her to resign her interim post her several weeks ago, former Wilmington School Superintendent Joanne Benton has died, the Wilmington Educational Foundation posted Thursday on its Facebook page.

"The WEF (Wilmington Educational Foundation) is filled with sadness to learn about the loss of our beloved Interim Superintendent Joanne Benton. No one was ever more a champion of our Foundation and her heart never left the Wilmington School District, which led her back to us during a difficult time,'' the WEF posted.

"Our condolences go out to her family and she will be sorely missed,'' the posting states.

Benton, who has been battling an undisclosed illness, tendered her resignation from her interim post three weeks ago citing health reasons. Her last day was March 31.

Days before her departure, the Wilmington School Committee on March 22 named Paul Ruggiero, the Wilmington School Department's director of administration, as the interim superintendent effective April 1. Ruggiero is supported by Assistant Superintendent Sean Gallagher and the Central Office team to run the schools while the school committee resumes its search for a new superintendent.

Benton, who is described as being devoted to the Wilmington schools, retired in June of 2014 after serving seven years as Wilmington's school superintendent. On her last day on the job in 2014, Benton described working in Wilmington as the "pinnacle'' of her career.

Then last October, Benton was asked to return as the interim superintendent to replace Superintendent Mary DeLai, who resigned on Oct. 4, 2016 after less than three years in the post, in the wake of her drunken-driving arrest on Aug. 25, 2016 in Danvers. The police report indicates DeLai registered a .19 on a Breathylzer test, more than twice the legal limit of .08.

In choosing Benton as the interim superintendent, the School Committee wrote in its evaluation, “Wilmington is an investment to [Mrs. Benton]… Her ties and her heart is here in Wilmington. We’re just not another passing town to her… It would benefit our staff and teachers, which would ultimately benefit our students, by having Mrs. Benton come back.''

Courtesy photo of Joanne Benton by WEF. Video of Joanne Benton's farewell to the school committee in 2014 courtesy of WCTV@Wilmington_TV.