Middleboro School Superintendent Lyons leaves district

MIDDLEBORO - Superintendent of Schools Carolyn Lyons has left the district for a new job as the executive director of the Bi-County Collaborative.

Prior to departing the district, Lyons has been on medical leave from the position since August 2025.

Lyons served as superintendent since 2022. She previously served as the district's Director of Pupil Personnel Services from 2016 to 2022 and as Secondary Special Education TEAM Facilitator for grades six to 12 from 2012 to 2016.

Her time as superintendent was not without controversy. At least two residents publicly called for her resignation following a lawsuit filed against the district that made national and international headlines.

The issue centered around a Nichols Middle School student who wore a shirt with the words “There Are Only Two Genders.” He was asked to remove the shirt and, when he refused, was taken home by his parents.

The family sued the district, saying the student had the right to wear clothing that expressed his viewpoint, while the district countered that the message was perceived to be harmful to other students.

Two lower courts supported the school’s right to ask the shirt be removed. The case was appealed to the Supreme Court, which declined to take the case.

Lyons was a finalist for the superintendent job in Mansfield in early 2025 but another candidate was chosen. 

School Committee members subsequently defended Lyons against criticism leveled against her on social media.

With Lyons exiting, residents urged the Middleboro School Committee at their Feb. 12 meeting to consider the well-being of the entire school community when selecting a new superintendent .

The School Committee is schedled to meet Feb. 19 with the Massachusetts Association of School Committees to discuss the process of hiring Lyons's successor.

Micheal Perrone, who is also the district’s director of business and finance, will continue as interim superintendent during the search process.

In a statement read at the meeting, Committee Chair Jessica Chartoff said the committee thanks Lyons for her “years of dedicated service and leadership.’’ She displayed a “strong commitment to student learning’’ by “supporting staff [and] creating a balanced budget’’ while focusing on “the overall well-being of the student community.’’

Some audience members, many of them teachers in the system, said they have not felt supported by some administrators and urged the committee to listen to faculty members and staff going forward.

“You could put this district on a better path,’’ said Marcy Fregault, a former School Committee member.  

 She said parents in the community feel “they’re not being heard, they’re not being considered’’ when decisions are made.

Teacher James O’Brien urged the committee to “do your due diligence’’ when selecting the next superintendent. Having someone well-qualified is important, he said, but so is selecting someone who will “listen to what we need.’’

Many in attendance called for stability. The district has employed three school superintendents in the last three years.