8/5/2022
Dear BPS Families,
I write to share some important leadership news for the Chenery Middle School during this upcoming school year.
As you know from our previous correspondence, Ms. Koza will be moving to a new role as "Director of District Configuration Transition" for the 2022-2023 school year. In that capacity, she will focus on leading the evolution of a 9-12 BHS building to a 7-12 BMHS building by September, 2023. It is with great enthusiasm that I announce that Nicolette A. Foundas has been named her successor as the “Interim 5-8 Chenery Middle School Principal” for the 2022-2023 school year. She will assume this role effective 8/8/2022.
Ms. Foundas is one of the current Assistant Principals at Chenery. In addition, in July she was named the future Principal of the Chenery Upper Elementary School, Grades 4-6. She began her career in public education as a Grade 4 classroom teacher in Hartford, CT. She joined the Belmont Public Schools 2008 and has served as a Grade 5 classroom teacher for 10 years and as a member of our leadership team overseeing encore programming and Grades 5 & 6 for the last four years. Her prior experience in a similar interim capacity as the Chenery Principal in May and June of 2020, especially, will serve her well as she works to ensure stability for students, family, and staff through this period of transition. We have seen her work up close as a member of our own leadership council and have confidence that she will continue to thrive in this new role.
In our July announcement we promised you that “[o]ur process for hiring an Interim Chenery Middle School Principal…will begin immediately” and I can confirm that we made good on that promise. This open position was posted the very next day and multiple applicants – both internal and external – applied. Last week a hiring committee made up of representatives from Chenery’s school-based leadership team, the Belmont Education Association, and central office screened all applicants, conducted initial interviews, and recommended two candidates to the Superintendent for his consideration. This week, a finalist was selected. We are thrilled that a candidate of Ms. Foundas’ capacity applied and is willing to take this one-year position on. She is well qualified and enthusiastic about the work to come.
Please note that this position is an interim position for the 2022-2023 school year only. Following the school year Ms. Foundas will step into her role as the future 4-6 Chenery Upper Elementary Principal. In January, 2023 we will post for a permanent 7/8 Principal for a July 1, 2023 start. The hiring for that position – a permanent one instead of an interim one – will follow our traditional process, including a screening team made up of teachers and parents/guardians, public interviews, community input, etc.
Please join me in congratulating Nicolette on this new interim role
Respectfully,
John P. Phelan
Superintendent of Schools
Town of Belmont
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