Voters in Sharon overwhelmingly expressed no confidence Thursday evening in five of the seven members of the town’s School Committee, following controversy surrounding the appointment of a new superintendent without a formal search process.

At a Special Town Meeting held at Sharon High School, residents voted 520 to 327 in favor of the no-confidence measure after a two-hour session marked by significant turnout. The meeting was delayed by more than an hour as the auditorium and other school spaces reached capacity.

The vote targeted the five School Committee members who approved the July appointment of Joel Jocelyn, the district’s assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, as the next superintendent. The decision came the same night Superintendent Peter Botelho announced he would not seek a contract extension beyond June 2024.

Some community members criticized the committee’s decision as lacking transparency. They argued the board bypassed a public search process, denying residents an opportunity to provide input despite having sufficient lead time following Botelho’s announcement. The Sharon School Committee’s own policy mandates broad advertising and public involvement in superintendent hires, which critics say was not followed.

“A vote of no confidence is not an act of disrespect,” said Sarah Chiaramida, a parent and member of the group Residents Engaged for Sharon Excellence and Transparency, addressing attendees before the vote. “It is a statement that public trust has been damaged, that the status quo is unacceptable and meaningful change is expected.”

The five committee members who supported the appointment are Chair Daniel Newman, Vice Chair Adam Shain, Secretary Allan Motenko, Julie Rowe, and Avi Shemtov. Newman defended their decision during the meeting, asserting that promoting an internal candidate would preserve momentum on academic priorities without the delays typical of onboarding an external hire.

“When you hire anyone externally, even if they are really good, the first year is learning and onboarding,” Newman said. “They don’t know the district. They don’t know the people.” He also noted that the committee held publicly posted meetings and executive sessions discussing both the superintendent’s and assistant superintendent’s contracts ahead of the vote.

Two members of the School Committee, Jeremy Kay and Georgeann Lewis, who opposed the hire, were not part of the no-confidence vote. Kay publicly supported the no-confidence measure, criticizing the hiring process for excluding committee members and the public from key information. Lewis said the vote was a way for the community to formally communicate expectations and hold the committee accountable moving forward.

Public reaction to the appointment was deeply divided. Some parents, educators, and residents demanded the board rescind its decision and conduct a formal search, while others backed Jocelyn’s promotion. The controversy sparked sharp exchanges on social media and town forums.

The citizens’ petition calling for the vote of no confidence gathered 314 signatures, surpassing the 200 required to bring the matter before the town meeting. While the Select Board chose neutrality on the issue, the Finance Committee endorsed the no-confidence vote in a 6-2-2 decision, citing the committee’s failure to adhere to hiring policies.

Under Massachusetts law, school committees have broad authority over superintendent hiring and are not legally required to conduct formal searches. However, most districts view such searches as best practice to engage the community and select the most suitable candidate.

No changes to the School Committee membership or the appointment itself are mandated by the nonbinding vote. However, it signals significant community dissatisfaction as the Sharon School Committee moves forward with its leadership plans.