Joan savage milford ct public schools

Written by Kathryn Bonetti, Milford Public Schools coordinator,

MILFORD, CT — When students return to school in the fall, they will find some new leaders their buildings. Four new principal appointments have been confirmed for the academic season in Milford and the district is pleased to introduce them to the community. Several ‘meet and greet’ events will take place with the specific school communities before the next school year begins.

JAMIE WHITAKER, Principal, Calf Pen Meadow Elementary

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Mrs. Jamie Whitaker will take over the helm at Calf Pen Meadow Elementary as the Principal for the school. For the past year, Dr. Ginger Vail supported the district as the school’s Interim Principal when Dr. Amy Fedigan – the former principal – was tagged as the district’s new Asst. Superintendent in August

Mrs. Whitaker has been a vibrant member of the Milford Public Schools community for many years – and has collected a vast amount of experience at every level in our district: elementary, middle and high school. Prior to being named principal, she served as the Asst. Principal at Harborside Middle School. In her work, Jamie has always made her professional mantra clear: “Is this what is best for students?” This philosophy has continually been reflected in her work at all levels of student interaction.

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Mrs. Whitaker received her Bachelor of Science degree in English from Albertus Magnus College in , with a minor concentration in art. After receiving her certification in elementary education, Mrs. Whitaker later completed and received a Master of Science degree in reading from Southern Connecticut State University (). She received her 6th year certificate in educational leadership, also from SCSU, two years later.

Mrs. Whitaker's wide range of experience has provided her many opportunities to serve in leadership roles. During her career, she served on various instructional committees for the district including the District Data Team, Secondary Literacy Team, facilitated the Reading For Success program for grades 6 - 12 and the Instructional Framework Committee. More recently, she has served on a variety of school and district committees, such as the district School Safety Committee, facilitator of district Student Assistance Team K - 12, building-based Student Assistance Team at all levels, and the district Truancy Committee. Current ongoing work includes her participation on the district Advisory and School Climate Committee.

SEAN BRENNAN, Principal, John F. Kennedy Elementary

Mr. Sean Brennan has served in a wide range of roles in the Milford Public School system as a teacher, department head, dean of students, assistant principal, and now will lead John F. Kennedy Elementary School as Principal. For the past year, the school was operated under the guidance of two Interim Principals – Carol Scaramella and Cindy DeCarlo.

In his more recent personal academic pursuits and in his work for the district, Mr. Brennan has spent significant time in classrooms at the elementary level.

Mr. Brennan received his Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics from Southern Connecticut State University in with a minor concentration in education. In , he received a Master of Science degree in special education, also from SCSU, focusing on the education of children with autism spectrum disorders. He also received a Master of Arts degree in holistic thinking from the Graduate Institute in He later received his intermediate administrator certificate in educational leadership from SCSU.

The opportunity to develop leadership skills was ever-present for Mr. Brennan and he eagerly engaged in this work during the past 13 years. He has extensive experience in writing and revising curriculum, analyzing data, and serving on a variety of school and district-based committees, such as the Student Assistance Team and the district’s Professional Learning Committee. He was involved in planning common learning experiences for all schools in the district, K, and is currently a member of the PDEC Evaluation Committee – a group of administrators and teachers who are currently reviewing the district’s teacher evaluation system. As a lead member of the school crisis team, Mr. Brennan is also responsible for overseeing all building/facility issues in times of crisis.

Mr. Brennan is a firm believer in setting the bar high and -- through building an environment of trust, support, and positivity – all will be supported to meet that bar.

SHERROD McNEILL, Principal, Pumpkin Delight Elementary

We are pleased to introduce Mr. Sherrod McNeill as a new addition to the Milford Public Schools administrative team – serving as the new Principal of Pumpkin Delight Elementary. The position became available when current principal Carrie Keramis was named the new principal of West Shore Middle School (see next profile below).

Mr. McNeill’s background, credentials, and experience are nothing short of exceptional. Having served as an elementary school principal in the Stratford Public School system, Sherrod knows what it is like to handle the day-to-day work of the position, all the while going above and beyond in making sure his learning community is supported and encouraged to continually improve. His impressive career, thus far, will surely be put to good use here in Milford as we continue to move the district forward.

Sherrod received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Connecticut in He continued his education, receiving a Master’s degree in Education in from the University of Bridgeport, followed by the completion of his 6th year certificate in Educational Leadership from Southern Connecticut State University in

Mr. McNeill received extensive administrative experience in his role as Assistant Principal of Prendergast Elementary School in Ansonia from During his time in Ansonia, Sherrod managed a variety of administrative functions for the purpose of enforcing state, district, and school policies. He was a valiant supporter of the school, often representing the school at community forums and school-based meetings with the parent community. Sherrod often chaired a variety of meetings with the goal of coordinating activities within the school to ensure achievement of state, district and school objectives. He also developed his skills in facilitating communication between staff, students and parents and in providing guidance for improvement.

For the past four years, Sherrod has served as Principal of Franklin Elementary School in Stratford. During his time there, he has developed a school climate that is mindful of academic, physical, social, and emotional growth for all school community constituents. In addition to the expertise he developed as an Asst. Principal in Ansonia, Sherrod has honed his professional leadership skills even further, with a keen eye for Special Education services, Instructional Intervention, Speech and Language services, and others. His perspective on curriculum development, school climate, and continuous improvement as a skilled professional is extraordinary. We are, indeed, lucky to have him on our team.

CARRIE KERAMIS, Principal, West Shore Middle School

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Carrie Keramis as Principal of West Shore Middle School. The position became vacant due to the resignation of Paul Cavanna who recently accepted a position with the Fairfield Public School system. Ms. Keramis has had a long and vibrant career with the Milford Public Schools, beginning as a special education teacher in During the past 25 years, she has served in Milford as a teacher and an administrative intern, later serving as principal of Calf Pen Elementary and Pumpkin Delight Elementary.

Ms. Keramis received her B.S. degree in Elementary Education from Castleton State College and a Master’s degree in Education from Sacred Heart University. She received her advanced certificate in Educational Leadership, also from Sacred Heart University, in

Ms. Keramis began her career in at Simon Lake Elementary – first as a special education teacher and later as a Grade 4 teacher. In she served as an assistant principal in Stratford for one year, and then returned to Milford the following year to become Principal at Calf Pen Meadow Elementary School in In , she became the new principal at Pumpkin Delight Elementary.

Over the years, Carrie has been deeply involved in collaborative development of School Continuous Improvement Plans, and the implementation of high quality professional development. She led and was an active participant in the School Assistance Team (SAT) and the SRBI team for the district. She has experience in cognitive coaching, literacy coaching and leadership. During her time in Milford, she was very involved in data analysis and currently is working on the HQI (High Quality Instruction) program taking place throughout the district.

Her work in Milford has been exemplary, creating a true learning environment with her staff, aimed at supporting all children and helping each child to succeed. Her work with the parent community has also been notable, enthusiastically participating in both PTA- and school-sponsored activities. Given the fact that Pumpkin Delight students move into West Shore for their middle school years, Carrie already is familiar with many of the students and families there and we believe that will help in her transition over the summer.