District leaders from Beverly, Hadley, and Shrewsbury are recognized for service to their communities and the profession.
M.A.S.S. President Armand Pires, Ph.D., recently honored three colleagues with 2025 M.A.S.S. President’s Awards:
- Suzanne Charochak, Ed.D., Superintendent, Beverly Public Schools
- Anne McKenzie, Ed.D., Superintendent, Hadley Public Schools
- Joseph Sawyer, Ed.D., Superintendent, Shrewsbury Public Schools
Dr. Pires, who is Superintendent of Medway Public Schools, thanked and congratulated the district leaders for service to their communities, leadership in the association, and advancement of the profession.
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Dr. Pires delivered the following remarks about the award winners at the M.A.S.S. Spring Meeting on May 23:
Suzanne Charochak, Ed.D., Superintendent, Beverly Public Schools
Sue Charochak has been Superintendent of Schools for the Beverly Public Schools for the past six years. During her 29-year tenure in Beverly, she has served as a classroom teacher, Principal and Assistant Superintendent for five years prior to her assuming the top leadership role.
Sue has served on the M.A.S.S. Executive Committee since 2022, where she has demonstrated a deep commitment to fostering meaningful connections of support with her colleagues who are navigating the complexities of educational leadership. That same commitment is evident in her role as Vice President of the North Shore Roundtable and her participation in the TNTP Leading Now Program. Sue is also a Board member of the Northshore Education Consortium and the YMCA of the North Shore.
Among her noteworthy accomplishments, Sue served for five years as a Principal Coach for the Bay State Reading Initiative, where she worked closely with many school leaders to refine their instructional practices and leadership strategies. In part, this experience was instrumental in Sue’s decision to pursue district leadership roles and provided her many of the skills to be a collaborative and reflective leader in her community.
Sue is a widely respected and recognized district leader. Her collaborative style, research-based decision-making and commitment to excellence are hallmarks of her leadership. Her influence goes well beyond her district as Sue consistently reaches out to her colleagues giving support and offering guidance. Her colleagues have enormous respect for the thoughtful and respectful ways she provides support to them. Her intellect, vision, and determination characterize her leadership style.
Anne McKenzie, Ed.D., Superintendent, Hadley Public Schools
Anne McKenzie is completing her 11th year as Superintendent of Schools for the Hadley Public Schools. Previously, she served eight years as Executive Director of the Lower Pioneer Valley Educational Collaborative and has previously served as Principal of West Springfield High School.
During her leadership in Hadley, Anne has contributed in many ways to support her colleagues and advance education policy. Anne has been on the M.A.S.S. Executive Committee since 2021, served as President of the Connecticut Valley Superintendents’ Roundtable, President of the Massachusetts Organization of Educational Collaboratives, and involved in the Global Leadership Development Program 2025 sponsored by M.A.S.S. and Education First. She has been a presenter at various state and national education convenings with multiple presentations at our annual MASC/M.A.S.S. Conferences. During her tenure as school superintendent, Anne has increasingly demonstrated strong leadership. In her district and as a member of M.A.S.S., she positively influences local, regional and state education policy.
Anne has distinguished herself throughout her educational career, winning Meritorious Budget Awards from the Association of School Business Officials and Government Finance Officers Associations along with an Excellence in School Administrators Award and Outstanding Service Award at West Springfield High School.
Anne’s sharp wit, intellect, and her ability to analyze and articulate many of the complex challenges we face in education today provide a meaningful contribution to our association and her colleagues. Anne is broadly respected by her peers. She consistently makes a point of reaching out to her colleagues who may need a helping hand or words of support.
Joseph Sawyer, Ed.D., Superintendent, Shrewsbury Public Schools
Joe Sawyer has been the Superintendent of Schools for the Shrewsbury Public Schools since July 2009. Prior to his 16-year tenure leading the district, Joe completed 12 years serving the Shrewsbury system in numerous leadership roles, including assistant principal, principal and assistant superintendent. Previous to his longstanding leadership serving Shrewsbury, Joe was a Corps member for Teach for America in Houston, Texas.
Joe has been a very active member of M.A.S.S. in support of his colleagues. Currently a member of the M.A.S.S. Legislative Committee, Joe stands out in his meticulous coverage of our legislative process, as he follows many critical policy initiatives, providing meaningful information to our legislative interests. As a member of the Worcester County Roundtable, Joe has served as President, Vice President and Secretary/Treasurer. In addition, Joe has provided leadership to the Assabet Valley Collaborative, serving positions of chair and vice-chair on multiple occasions.
Currently, Joe is a member of Leading Now, a national organization focused on strategic communications. He has been honored with the Shrewsbury Education Foundation’s Community Service Award and Worcester Business Journal’s “Ten Leaders to Watch.”
Joe is widely recognized and respected by his colleagues. He is keenly aware of best practices in education leadership and public policy, serving as a valuable resource to our association and his colleagues. His intellect, sense of humor, breadth of experience and active involvement in education policy are both benefits to the interests of our children and the interests of superintendents as district leaders.