Boston Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper worked remotely on Cape Cod last school year

Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald on Jul 8, 2026

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BOSTON — Boston Superintendent of Schools Mary Skipper, who was under contract for nearly $400,000 last school year, confirmed that she had been working remotely at her second home on Cape Cod since May to care for her injured husband.

Skipper released a statement to the Herald through her office Tuesday that states she has been working a hybrid schedule since her husband sustained a “severe ankle injury” and was left largely immobile in late May.

She added that the “intermittent” leave from Boston Public Schools was granted through the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, which allows employees to work a reduced schedule or take partial days off on an as-needed basis for up to 12 weeks. The leave was documented and included records from the treating physician, her office added.

“My 78-year-old husband suffered a severe ankle injury in late May, requiring tendon surgery and keeping his leg immobile and non-weight-bearing on crutches and in a wheelchair for several weeks,” Skipper said. “Our home in Boston is an old farmhouse with uneven stairs and floors, and no wheelchair accessible bathroom, making appropriate care not possible.

“Following a formal FMLA request and approval for an intermittent leave, we temporarily relocated to our Cape home, which is more accessible,” Skipper added. “Unfortunately, during his recovery, he suffered a setback due to a mishap on his crutches and subsequently tore his rotator cuff, limiting him entirely to the wheelchair and limiting his mobility even further.”

FMLA leave is unpaid, even when it’s taken intermittently, making it unclear as to whether Skipper was paid her full contract amount for last school year, when she received a 15% pay hike to bring her total compensation package to $393,943. When asked for clarification, her office did not immediately respond.

Boston residency is required for the superintendent position. Skipper describes herself as a longtime Dorchester resident, and said her husband has since progressed in his recovery enough to allow the couple to move back into their Boston home.

“The good news is that he continues to recover and is now partially weight-bearing, allowing us to fully return to our home of 30 years in Dorchester,” Skipper said. “Working a hybrid schedule has allowed me to ensure that the needs of the district and my family are both met.

“I appreciate the support of my leadership team, School Committee members, and the mayor’s office, and sincerely thank the many people who offered well-wishes for my family. I look forward to Pete’s continued recovery and being fully back in person for our summer programming and the start of the 2026-2027 school year,” the superintendent added.

Skipper’s intermittent leave, and remote work outside the city comes at a time when the school district she oversees is under fire for cutting nearly 570 jobs from the $1.7 billion BPS budget. The Boston Teachers Union has said the layoffs will impact hundreds of “student-facing positions from an already under-resourced school system.”