Springfield still in search of new Elm Hill principal

The Springfield School District remains on a quest to locate a new principal for Elm Hill Primary School, according to Superintendent Frank Perotti.
http://www.eagletimes.com/news/2012-06-07/Front_Page/Springfield_still_in_search_of_new_Elm_Hill_princi.html

2012-06-07 / Front Page Share this Springfield still in search of new Elm Hill principal By CHRIS GAROFOLO Staff Writer The Springfield School District remains on a quest to locate a new principal for Elm Hill Primary School, according to Superintendent Frank Perotti. After the district’s first choice opted to decline the opportunity to lead the 290-student school from kindergarten to second grade, Perotti said the Springfield School Board has decided to interview two additional candidates from the initial pool of applicants. “There were approximately 40 original applicants and there were a number of folks who were in the original round of files for interviews,” Perotti said. The district has not yet scheduled a date to interview the next potential principal. The superintendent said both applicants are considered local and have ties to the area. “I hope we can figure out a way to do it next week if we can,” he said.“We would like to settle this question as soon as we can.” Board Chairman Scott Adnams agreed, saying it is important to have a new schoolmaster by the upcoming fall semester. “We don’t want to be hiring somebody at the end of August. We need them in place sooner than later so they can get their feet on the ground and have some time to meet the other administrators and get to know their staff,” he said. “The biggest thing the board wants to do is make sure we get somebody hired and find some stability. Everybody’s aware we’ve had some issues this year at Elm Hill and we want to make sure we start the school year with a principal in place and everything is nice and stable,” Adnams said referring to past behavior issues and the use of seclusion rooms at the school. Since March, the board has stopped the use of seclusion rooms and the district has acknowledged prior mistakes by staff members. Adnams said behavior referrals have dropped off significantly at Elm Hill the past few months. Last month, school board members had selected an administrator from upstate New York to replace interim administrators Becky Read and Dana Jacobson-Goodhue, who have served in that role since February. “Becky Read has been the principal of record. She’s also our principal at Riverside Middle School. So this would be a full-time person to replace the interim that we’ve had,” Adnams said. Eagle Times