EAST PROVIDENCE — A former Foster-Glocester superintendent was chosen over two previous East Providence school chiefs last night to be the city’s interim School Department leader.

The split, 3-to-2, vote for Mario F. Cirillo happened after the School Committee debated the three candidates — Manuel Vinhateiro Jr. and John V. DeGoes were the other two — in closed session for nearly an hour. Committee members Steven Santos, Robert Faria and Anthony Carcieri voted for Cirillo while chairwoman Mildred Morris and member Stephen DeCastro voted against him. Among their reasons, Morris and DeCastro said they had concerns about Cirillo’s performance at his last job.

Carcieri, who initially suggested Cirillo be considered, said the 61-year-old Bristol resident will “bring something to East Providence that we haven’t had before.” He further praised Cirillo’s “extensive résumé” and said other educators agree Cirillo is “very accomplished” and credible.

Carcieri also liked the fact that Cirillo wants the job permanently. He said it’s a plus to see him as the interim first. He begins July 14.

“It’s great to see how he does,” Carcieri said after the meeting. “Look at it as a business maneuver.”

Cirillo believes it is an asset as well because he gets to work with outgoing Schools Supt. Jacqueline Forbes before she leaves Aug. 4. She is retiring as an educator from Rhode Island, but has taken a position to lead the Bridgewater-Raynham Regional School District in Massachusetts.

Cirillo got his start as an educator in Massachusetts 39 years ago. He began in the Springfield School District — which has 46 schools — as a middle school teacher before taking an administrative role as assistant principal. For 12 years, he also served as principal of a Blue Ribbon middle school and finished his years in Springfield as the district’s assistant superintendent. His duties there included being in charge of curriculum and instruction for the secondary schools.

He left Springfield and became the Foster-Glocester regional district’s superintendent in July 2004. He stayed four years before “leaving on my own accord” in March, Cirillo told the East Providence School Committee last night.

“I can’t support that candidate,” DeCastro said. Besides the fact that DeCastro said he doesn’t think someone vying for the permanent position should be interim, the committee member said “some concerns were raised at the last school employment” Cirillo had.

DeCastro had a Journal article that said Foster-Glocester School Committee member Kelly A. Hunter resigned late last month after being in the center of a controversy that involved Cirillo. For most of the end of last year and the beginning of this year, it was alleged that the two had had an extramarital affair. The two have vehemently denied the relationship repeatedly and Hunter and other committee members were faced with questions, at times hostile, from the public at their meetings.

When DeCastro asked Cirillo to elaborate why he left Foster-Glocester, Cirillo said he had a split School Committee and it made it “hard to get things accomplished.” He said the committee also didn’t approve of the pace at which he wanted to move the “district forward” because they were “stuck in their ways.” Cirillo didn’t mention Hunter.

Other Journal articles also state Cirillo’s ability to improve the district was hampered by poor relations with officials and teachers. The teachers union representing high- and middle-school educators issued a vote of no confidence in him in September 2006. They cited his alleged disregard for the collective-bargaining agreement and a failure to listen to teachers’ concerns over a new high school class schedule.

The union representing elementary school teachers in Glocester voiced similar complaints when they voted no confidence in him later that month. In addition, the Glocester Town Council sent a letter to the regional committee in February 2007 that called for Cirillo’s removal.

The council blamed Cirillo for overspending, a drop in test scores at the elementary and regional school levels, and an increase in administrative salaries during his three-year tenure.

“I’ve commented enough about this,” Cirillo told The Journal last night regarding the alleged Hunter relationship. “It’s all rumor and innuendo.”

Said Carceiri, “It’s all hearsay and allegations that have never been proven. … I won’t comment further.”

apina@projo.com