Next Sharon High AD Will Come From Outside the District

Sharon High School's next athletic director will be new to the district.

The Sharon Public Schools Athletic Director Search Committee announced today that the three finalists it has recommended to Superintendent Timothy Farmer are Michael Bierwirth, director of athletics at Immaculate High School in Danbury, Conn. for the past four years; Christopher Donovan, athletic director and activities coordinator at Westport High School; and William Martin, department coordinator, coach and physical education and health teacher at Shepherd Hill Regional High School in Dudley.

Bierwirth, Donovan and Martin were chosen from nearly 100 applicants, eight of whom were interviewed Feb. 10, the search committee said in a press release.

The finalists will visit Sharon to meet with student athletes, coaches, parents, community members and administration next Wednesday, Feb. 29. The candidates also will meet the public at a community forum from 5 to 7 that night at Sharon High.

School officials plan to visit the finalists' schools on March 5, and are tentatively scheduled to select a finalist March 9.

Athletic Director Robert Sondheim will retire this summer, ending 11 years in the post. He was the Eagles' swimming coach for five-and-a-half years under his predecessor, Richard Corbin, who served from 1995 to 2001, according to Sondheim.

Prior to coming to Immaculate, Bierwirth was director of student activities, and varsity basketball and baseball head coach at Cheshire Academy, the search committee said. He holds a degree from Quinnipiac College and is a certified athletic administrator.

Donovan holds a master's degree in school administration from Johns Hopkins University and a B.A. from Framingham State College. He holds coaching certification with the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association.

Martin previously was Shepherd Hill's assistant athletic director, while also serving as a varsity soccer head coach and a junior varsity lacrosse coach, the committee said. He holds a master's degree in education degree from Cambridge College and a bachelor's of science degree from Salem State College. He also holds NIAAA certification.

The search committee includes: student-athletes Erica Pais and Sam Pinkowitz; coaches Rachel Selby Walker, Gary Werden and James Arguimbau; parents/guardians Mary Mello, Miri Park and Tricia Perry; community member Bruce Needle; teacher representative Thor VanVaerenewyck; and Sharon High School Assistant Principal Mary Trahan and Assistant Superintendent for Administration and Finance Glenn Brand. Brand is chairing the committee.