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 …

•  6 Comments
• Photos (2)

Theriault-Regan Named New Principal Of Tewksbury High

Theriault-Regan will succeed Patricia Lally, who resigned to become the new assistant superintendent.

With a brand new high school scheduled to open its doors in less than 60 days, Superintendent of Schools Dr. John O'Connor wasted little time in naming a new principal. Brenda Theriault-Regan, presently the assistant principal at the John Ryan Middle School, has been selected to succeed Dr. Patricia Lally as Tewksbury Memorial High School principal. Lally resigned earlier this month after being appointed as the district's new assistant superintendent. O'Connor said he kept the screening process simple, only posting the opening at the high school internally. He interviewed two candidates for the position and feels strongly that Theriault-Regan is the right person for the job. He cited her experience with curriculum, technology and data …

•  32 Comments
• Photos (1)

SAM

11:10 pm on Monday, July 9, 2012

HA!   more ›

Former TMHS Principal Admits, 'It Was A Difficult Decision' To Resign

Lally to assume the duties of assistant superintendent of schools.

All the pieces were in place. Dr. Patricia Lally was in line to be the principal of the sparkling new Tewksbury Memorial High School when it opened its doors in August. It would mark an apex in her career at TMHS, which began in 2003, as assistant principal and continued when she was named principal in 2007. Over the past four years, she had played a key role in the effort to construct a new high school campus, both in her role as an administrator and her place on the New High School Building Committee. Her place at the grand opening of the new school had been well earned and was something she was looking forward to. But a funny thing happened on the way to the ribbon cutting -- an opportunity that was just too good to pass up. Loreen …

•  7 Comments
• Photos (1)

O'Connor Given Strong Review, Two-Year Contract Extension

Superintendent of Schools now under contract through June 30, 2015.

Under the terms of the contract of Superintendent of Schools Dr. John O'Connor, the Tewksbury School Committee would have had to give him one-year advanced warning if they did not intend to extend his contact. The school committee went one step further this week, extending O'Connor's deal two years, through June 30 2015. In a statement read at the June 13 School Committee meeting at the Wynn School, Chairwoman Krissy Polimeno said the two-year extension reflected the confidence the committee had that O'Connor was the right person to be leading the school department. "We believe the essence of our schools is the achievements of our students.   Another priority of paramount importance is our budget and our ability to make fiscally sound …

•  3 Comments
• Photos (1)

Bill Gilman

1:14 pm on Friday, June 15, 2012

Feel free to email me at williamg@patch.com   more ›

Tewksbury School Committee Honors Retiring Teachers, Staff

Veteran educators are thanked for their many years of service.

The Tewksbury School Committee and administration recently paid tribute to 20 educators, adminstrators and support staff who are retiring at the end of the school year. The retirees were honored with a reception and and public acknoledgment at the start of the May 23 School Committee meeting at the Wynn Middle School. Superintendent of Schools Dr. John O'Connor praised the retirees for the numerous contributions to the Tewksbury Public Schools and noted the hundreds of years of experience that would be lost with their retirements. Among those retiring is Assistant Superintendent Loreen Bradley. O'Connor said a search for Bradley's replacement has been ongoing and that a candidate is expected to be named soon. The list of 2012 retirees …

•  3 Comments
• Photos (4)

Angry O'Connor: Vandals Committed A Felony

Break-in over the weekend caused significant damage at Tewksbury High.

The longer Dr. John O'Connor spoke, the angrier he grew. Tewksbury's superintendent of schools was briefing the School Committee on a break-in that had occurred at the high school over the weekend. And O'Connor found nothing funny about what might have been intended to be a "senior prank." According to O'Connor, a group of people broke into the school late Sunday night and committed acts of "malicious damage" and vandalism. "We are committed to finding the people who did this. I'm reminding parents that breaking into a closed building is a felony," said O'Connor, adding that a felony conviction might cost a student acceptance into the college they had wanted to attend. According to O'Connor, paint was taken from the art room and was …

•  25 Comments
• Photos (1)

Police Presence At Wynn School Today In Wake Of Bomb Scare

School was evacuated Wednesday afternoon after a threatening note is found scribbled on a wall.

If Wednesday's bomb scare at the Wynn Middle School was intended as a "joke" or a "prank," Chief of Police Timothy Sheehan and Superintendent of Schools Dr. John O'Connor are not laughing. There will be a police presence at the school today (May 24) in the wake of an incident that forced the evacuation of students and staff and an early end to the school day. According to Sheehan, the incident began around 1 p.m. when a male student found a note scrawled on the bathroom wall, written by someone who indicated they had a bomb. "I can tell you the words were very small," said O'Connor, at Wednesday night's School Committee meeting at the Wynn School. "My thumb could have covered all of them. It was clearly written by a student." School …

•  7 Comments
• Photos (1)

Viewfinder

PHOTOS: Jayne Miller Bids Farewell to School Committee

Committee member opted not to seek re-election after taking newspaper job.

Jayne Miller participated in her final School Committee meeting Wednesday night at the Wynn School. Miller opted not to seek re-election to the committee after accepting the positon of editor of the Town Crier newspaper. Fellow committee member Dennis Francis, Superintendent Dr. John O'Connor and Miller's daughter presented her with gifts to mark the occasion. Francis praised Miller for her edication and commitment during her tenure on the board and her particular efforts in the areas of specil education. Miller used the occasion as the opportunity to encourage more residents, especially women, to run for office. "It's been my pleaseure and my honor to serve on this committee and I would recommend it," said Miller. "And it I would say this…

•  4 Comments
• Photos (6)

School Officials: This Is An Exciting Time For Us

Superintendent of Schools Dr. John O'Connor and School Committee Chairwoman Krissy Polimeno chatted with parents, teachers and students as part of Patch's "Lunch With ..." series.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. John O'Connor and School Committee Chairwoman Krissy Polimeno participated in a live chat as part of Tewksbury Patch's "Lunch With ..." series on Wednesday. They fielded questions from parents, educators and students. Here are some highlights from the chat: Comment From Momof2  I was just wondering if there are a bunch of parents having problems with a bus driver and it has been brought to the attention of the Transit Dept and nothing is being resolved. What would you suggest? Because obviously, the parents aren't being heard about this driver and the many complains. Need help not another push off. O'Connor & Polimeno:  Momof2 We are not aware of current issues involving our transportation. drivers. Please …

•  5 Comments
• Photos (1)

Tewksbury Schools May Soon Encourage Use Of Cell Phones In The Classroom

School Committee considers policy change that would incorporate personal wireless devices into classroom technology.

The technology involved in “smart phones” has improved so dramatically in recent months that Tewksbury Superintendent of Schools Dr. John O'Connor wants to change school district policy, and encourage, not ban, the use of cell phones and other personal communication devices in the classroom. What's next, will teachers be handing out chewing gum and will running be allowed in the hallways? "Technology has become much more personal," explained O'Connor after the school committee gave first reading to a new "Personal Electronic Device" policy Wednesday night at the Wynn School. "Everybody has a mobile device, and as a result, we need to change the way we look at them." At present, school policy prohibits students from using cell phones during…

•  2 Comments
• Photos (2)