By John Barrella

MIDDLEBOROUGH — When the School Committee voted unanimously this summer to bring in Dr. David L. Thomson as interim superintendent, they weren’t hiring a stranger to the role. Thomson, who officially started July 1, arrives with more than 30 years in Massachusetts public education and a resume built largely around leading districts through leadership transitions.

Before Middleborough, Thomson served as interim superintendent in both Wilmington (2025-2026) and Mashpee (2024-2025), following a full term as Superintendent of Norwood Public Schools. In Norwood, he became the district’s first superintendent to successfully lead a Proposition 2½ override, according to his professional biography, while also developing the district’s first formal strategic plan. Earlier in his career, he served as assistant superintendent at Blackstone-Millville Regional School District and as a middle school principal in Mansfield and Raynham — work that helped earn him recognition as Massachusetts’ Middle School Principal of the Year in 2010.

His credentials extend beyond the classroom and central office. Thomson holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Northeastern University, has taught as an adjunct professor at Worcester State University and American International College, served on the National Association of Secondary School Principals’ executive board, and previously led the Massachusetts Principals Association as its president.

What Middleborough residents might most want to know is how Thomson tends to operate in his first months on a new job — and his track record offers a fairly clear pattern. During his time as interim superintendent in Wilmington, he set out to visit every school in the district, spending several hours at each one, and made a point of asking each building principal directly how he could support their individual goals, while also interviewing stakeholders across the town and school community, according to the Daily Times Chronicle.

Thomson has described that kind of hands-on presence as central to how he approaches interim work. Reflecting on his year in Mashpee, he told the Cape News that the school committee there had been clear about what it wanted from him: someone who could “keep the pedal to the metal” on the district’s existing strategic plan, rather than pump the brakes during a leadership gap.

Whether that same approach plays out in Middleborough remains to be seen, but Thomson’s history suggests residents can expect a superintendent who prioritizes visibility and direct relationships with school staff over a quiet, caretaker-style interim term.

Thomson’s stay in Middleborough is, by design, temporary. The School Committee has formally opened a search for a permanent superintendent, with that process expected to begin in earnest this fall.

Also this week, The Middleborough High School (MHS) College Boot Camp is tomorrow, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. The College Boot Camp is a seasonal multi-day summer program hosted by Middleborough Public Schools. It is designed to help rising high school seniors get a head start on the college application process, essays, and post-graduation planning before the school year begins. The MHS College Boot Camp is likely held at Middleborough High School, though readers should confirm the location with the school directly before attending.

The Goat News will have coverage on Schools throughout the upcoming academic year.