Avon Gets New Pupil Services Director

AVON, CT - The local school system has a new director of pupil services.

He is an announcement released by education officials about the appointment of Kimberly Mearman:

At a special meeting held on the evening of June 29, 2016, the Avon Board of Education unanimously appointed Dr. Kimberly Mearman to the position of Director of Pupil Services.

Most recently, Dr. Mearman held the position as Interim Associate Director at the State Education Resource Center (SERC) in Middletown, CT. In her position, Dr. Mearman helped facilitate and support the organization’s engagement with legislative efforts; organize workforce development, facilitate partnership and funding development; provide programming in partnership with the Office of Early Childhood and Connecticut State Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education, and also continued her work with program development and research/program evaluation which she supervised as Assistant Director at SERC.

Dr. Mearman began her teaching career as a special education teacher in 1990 in the Southington Public School system.

Kimberly Mearman earned her Bachelor of Science at the University of Connecticut, in Storrs, CT, graduating Cum Laude. She went on to earn both her Master of Science and Sixth Year degree in Special Education at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven, CT. Dr. Mearman continued with her education earning a Ph.D. in Leadership at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, MI. Her dissertation is titled: “A Statistical Estimate of the Validity and Reliability of a Rubric Developed by Connecticut’s State Education Resource Center (SERC) to Evaluate the Quality of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for Students with Disabilities.”

Dr. Donna Nestler-Rusack, Assistant Superintendent of Schools, stated, "We are thrilled to have Kimberly serve Avon and the families as the new Director of Pupil Services. Additionally, we are excited with the experiences, knowledge base and commitment to all she brings to the position, which are sure to enhance our practices here in Avon.”

The appointment of Dr. Mearman by the Board of Education was the final step in an intensive search and selection process that began early June, following the establishment of a Search and Selection Committee consisting of faculty, staff, parents and members of the Board of Education. Based on an extensive interview process the Committee identified candidates to advance to the final interview stage. Additional interviews and a survey was developed and administered before determining to move Dr. Mearman forward to the Board of Education for the final interview.

Dr. Kimberly Mearman is expected to begin her position as Director of Pupil Services beginning August 2016 with an exact date to be determined.