Danbury Resident Is Named New Schools Superintendent in Upstate District

A Danbury resident who’s the assistant school superintendent from Ridgefield has been named the new school superintendent in upstate Suffield.

The Suffield Board of Education this week voted to appoint Karen Berasi as the new leader of the Suffield Public Schools. Berasi, who lives in Danbury, was selected as superintendent from a pool of 14 people who applied to succeed former superintendent Karen Baldwin, who resigned from the post in December.

“I am delighted to be chosen as Suffield’s Superintendent of Schools and am eager to collaborate with the entire Suffield community to continuously improve and enhance the Suffield Public Schools,” Berasi said in a statement. “Through collaboration and hard work, we will provide each student with the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful global citizens in the ever-changing world of the future.”

Berasi will resign from her position as Assistant Superintendent of Special Services for Ridgefield Public Schools, a position she has held since 2008.

A native Ohioan, Berasi received her undergraduate and graduate degrees at Ohio University. She earned her sixth-year certification from UConn in 2004 and has been certified in executive leadership since 2011. She began her educational career as a speech language pathologist serving in school districts in Ohio, California, and Washington.

Berasi relocated to Connecticut to join the faculty of the University of Connecticut Communications Department in 1999. Berasi has many years of experience in public education from Pre-K through age 21, including 12 years of district leadership work in the Connecticut public schools and three-and-a-half years teaching experience with graduate students at the University of Connecticut. Before joining Ridgefield Public Schools, Berasi was Director of Pupil Personnel Services in the Suffield Public Schools.

The Board of Education hired Trumbull-based Cooperative Educational Services (C.E.S.) to coordinate the search for a new superintendent.

Of the search process in Suffield, Berasi said, “From my perspective as a candidate, the thorough search process was impressive, from posting the community survey results online to rigorous interviews, and lastly, the professionalism and candor during my numerous meetings with all stakeholder groups to ensure Suffield and I are a good match.”

Berasi added, “Over the next two months I will be transitioning to Suffield through visits to include administrators, teachers, staff, parents and community members. During this time, I’m also house-hunting in Suffield and learning more about the town and community.”

Mel Chafetz, a former Suffield school principal, will continue to serve as interim superintendent until Berasi begins her assumes the post in early July.

Photo: Karen Berasi. Credit: LInked in.