HAVERHILL — Most people retire before they hit 69.
"I'm just revving up," joked Raleigh Buchanan, whose last day as superintendent of Haverhill schools was Wednesday. Buchanan, who ran the schools for the last 41/2 years, has begun his new duties as superintendent of the Hamilton-Wenham Regional School District.
The move comes with a significant pay increase. Buchanan made $140,000 a year as Haverhill superintendent. Hamilton-Wenham is paying him $175,000.
"I don't feel 69," said Buchanan, who stands well over 6 feet tall, played basketball as a youth, and at one time aspired to be a Division 1 college basketball coach.
The North Carolina native said he has always believed he had "a calling from God" to work with children and help them "have a better life.
"It's exciting to work with kids," Buchanan said. That's how he felt when he was hired as an elementary school principal in his early 20s, right out of college, and he still believes it today, almost half a century later, as he takes on his sixth superintendent's job.
Looking back on his time in Haverhill, Buchanan cited 56 accomplishments, including a program at Haverhill High School where students study ancient Greek and Latin, evaluations of principals, a Student Forum through which he met with students, the Parent Academy, a student leadership development program in the middle schools, and bringing all-day kindergarten to four schools.
"Above all, I have been able to achieve increased achievement of the district," he said. "I tried to provide hope to a district struggling with many challenges."
Mayor James Fiorentini and others in the community have expressed regret over Buchanan's departure. Buchanan said it was sometimes frustrating to work with the School Committee.
"I never know where we are as a board," he said, adding that the committee sometimes goes "in too many directions." He said at times, he "should have been more forceful."
As an example, he cited the buying of textbooks. The Frameworks program adopted by the state details what students need to learn to succeed on MCAS. Buchanan said he wished he had pushed harder to buy "more textbooks that would line up with the tests."
Buchanan also offered a few words of advice to the School Committee and James Scully, the new interim superintendent.
"Believe in a plan of action," he said. "Keep focused on student learning." He also suggested a few goals: Offer all-day kindergarten to the entire district, restore the fine arts program to what it was before massive cuts in recent years, and establish a "magnet" program for gifted thinkers.
As a superintendent, Buchanan has been around. Before he came to Haverhill, he led the Seekonk schools for 10 years. He previously directed the schools in Laurens and Fairfield County, S.C.; and Bloomsburg, Pa.
Over the years, he said he has learned to "listen more." Buchanan said as a boss, he gives subordinates "several chances," but nevertheless, he has "dismissed a lot of people" during his career. Some of them were fired in Haverhill, and he did it "quietly," he said.
While Buchanan led the Haverhill schools, he had his frustrating moments with the School Committee. But at the last committee meeting he attended on June 24, every member gave him a positive sendoff.
"It was fun being one of your principals," said Ray Sierpina, who was elected to the School Committee last November after retiring as Tilton School principal.
Committee member Scott Wood spoke of Buchanan's "dedication to moving the district forward."
Committee President Shaun Toohey said he and others will miss Buchanan's "humor" and "sensitivity" to students' needs.
Fiorentini, ex-officio chairman of the School Committee, said working with Buchanan, whom he saw "almost every day," was a "great experience."
"You have done so much for the city," the mayor said.
"I leave with a heavy heart," Buchanan said.
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