School Board Appointments Two New Principals

One known and one fresh face will help lead two of the town’s elementary schools for at least the coming academic year.

Earlier this week, the school board approved the hiring of two new principals at the Keeney Street and Highland Park elementary schools.

Julie Martin-Beaulieu, a woman with extensive experience in teaching in and leading elementary academic institutions, will serve as principal of the Kenney Street School while Diane Sheehan-Burns, the district’s current associate director of teaching and learning, will serve as the principal of the Highland Park School.

Martin-Beaulieu was the unanimous choice of the district’s interview committee and selected from a pool of 32 candidates, including three internal applicants. The committee consisted of teachers, parents, and administrators, according to a news release from the interim Superintendent of Schools Richard Kisiel.

Martin-Beaulieu received her undergraduate education at Loyola University of Chicago and her master's degree from the City University of Seattle. She was most recently the assistant principal at the CREC Museum Academy. She taught for 12 years in elementary schools in Chicago and Seattle, and also served as the Director of a Learning Academy in Seattle, as well as in the capacity of assistant principal of an elementary school in Yakima, WA, according to the release.

Her experience working in a variety of diverse education settings, particularly in urban school settings was one reason she as the best candidate for the position. The interviewing committee reported being impressed with her clarity of vision and purpose for the elementary school, Kisiel wrote. They believed she demonstrated an understanding of how to promote the growth of struggling and high achieving students, and approved of her sincere expression of desire to work with parents, staff, and all stakeholders in the school community.

Shandra Brown, her supervisor at the Museum Academy, described Martin-Beaulieu as “having the ability to create and sustain a culture of sustained accountability…and her knowledge of culturally and economically diverse groups has helped her broker positive relationships with parents,” Kisiel wrote in the release.

She officially begins her duties as principal on Monday.

At Highland Park School, Sheehan-Burns will fill the vacancy left by Kate England, who recently took the position of deputy superintendent in the Windham School District.

Sheehan-Burns began work in Manchester as a 2nd grade teacher and numeracy trainer before joining the district's curriculum team.

A graduate of Eastern Connecticut State University, she received her Master of Arts degree in elementary school education form Sacred Heart University and another master’s degree in elementary school reading and literacy from Walden University.

“Her knowledge of the Common Core Curriculum, and her background and training as a literacy and numeracy specialist will provide valuable leadership in focusing the school’s attention on the new curriculum and improving student learning,” Kisiel wrote.