O'Connor Names Two New School Administrators
Andrew Long and Elizabeth Sharp to take positions at Wynn Middle School and John Ryan School.
Superintendent of Schools Dr. John O'Connor rounded out his administrative team this week by naming two new assistant principals.
Andrew Long was hired to take the position of assistant principal at Wynn Middle School, while Elizabeth Sharp was hired to serve as assistant principal at the John F. Ryan Elementary School.
Long, an Andover resident, comes to Tewksbury from the Doherty Middle School in Andover, where he had taught Spanish for four years and most recently served as assistant principal. He also worked as a teacher for 10 years at the Ashley Day Middle School in Newton.
Long will be succeeding Geraldine Cummings, who retired in June.
Sharp comes to Tewksbury from North Andover, where she lives and worked as a middle school math teacher since 2003. She will succeed Brenda Theriault-Regan, who was named the new principal at Tewksbury Memorial High earlier this summer.
Both of the new assistant principals will be paid an annual salary of $77,673.
In This article
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Wynn Middle School
1 Griffin Way, Tewksbury, MA -
John F. Ryan School
135 Pleasant St, Tewksbury, MA -
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Tewksbury Memorial High School
320 Pleasant St, Tewksbury, MA
jo
2:09 pm on Wednesday, August 1, 2012
I am surprised that the superintendent went outside of the system for both of the assistant principal positions. Are we to understand that there were no qualified applicants from within the system?
bk
4:21 pm on Wednesday, August 1, 2012
We have already selected Principal from within the system... and I wasn't very happy about that(especially the lack of experience running a HS).
This one is a good news though.
No harm in looking outside for the bests for if were already best, we wouldn't be at the 104 out of 135 schools in MA( http://www.bostonmagazine.com/best-schools-in-boston/index.html).
If we always look inside our "pond", we will never fathom the vast ocean outside.
Some day our kids will have to go in the big/tough world outside and our
"local" "system" might not be helpful there.
This is an excellent selection. Both the selections are from one of the best school systems in the MA.
When appointing teachers, our aim should be providing best education to our kids and not "local" employment generation.
Thanks to Mr. O'Connor.
--B
Sunny
5:24 pm on Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Hmm, just because someone is from "one of the best school systems" does not mean they are the best or most qualified person. Wondering why someone would leave one of the "best" school systems to come to Tewksbury? Only time will tell if the best choice was made.
April
6:14 pm on Wednesday, August 1, 2012
I agree with you Sunny. I have to say that I too have questioned some of the decisions that have been made over the past few months when it comes to the selections for certain administrative positions. I went to the Andover Public Schools website and saw that they posted the assistant principal position for the Doherty Middle School back in June. It makes me wonder why Mr. Long is no longer employed there. If it was a budget cut they wouldn't be looking to refill the position. If it was his choice, why would he resign before he had employment elsewhere? I just hope that Mr. O'Connor chose the best people for the jobs and was not just "dazzled" by the places they may or may not have been successful in before. Leaving Andover to come to Tewksbury for a salary or $77K is a severe cut in pay as well. It does make me wonder.
bk
9:21 pm on Wednesday, August 1, 2012
> Only time will tell if the best choice was made.
Sure, I am willing to try that. We gave really long time for our local talent to bring up the school ranking. Most likely, it can't get any worse.
It also create pressure to perform/show_results as they do in the corporate world.
More such choices might stop the exodus of parents from Tewksbury to
Andover/Westford. In fact, it might reverse; bringing our property values up... some day.
_B