"I've been working at this for 38 years. It's a good time for me to have more flexibility in my schedule. If I were going to stay on as a superintendent, I'd love to stay here. I've really enjoyed the work I've done," he said.
He has no immediate plans for what he will do next.
"I've got no list. I'll just let things emerge. I think it will be something different. The night meetings with this job really lock you in, in terms of time," he continued.
McNamara is a 30-year resident of Waterbury whose children went through the Washington West Supervisory Union school district. He worked nine years at Waterbury Elementary School, from 1976 through 1985, as coordinator of support services. He also worked for 15 years for the Vermont Department of Education in a variety of administrative roles and then as superintendent of the Lamoille North Supervisory Union immediately prior to working for Washington West.
"I've had nothing but positive experiences here and it's great to finish out my formal career in this district where, really early on, I started out," he said.
"Public schooling is a challenge right now and it's hard work to balance all the different needs of a community. The people in this area are working hard to support their public schools," he added.
McNamara and his wife Marianne have two grown children and a granddaughter. His wife teaches English as a second language. He is originally from Waltham, Massachusetts.
The process for replacing McNamara has begun with the executive committee of the Washington West Supervisory Union School Board working with the Vermont School Boards Association to facilitate a search. Together the executive committee and school boards association will bring finalists to the full Washington West board to be interviews.
