Greenwich Schools' Chief Operating Officer To Leave District

GREENWICH, CT — Greenwich Public Schools (GPS) Chief Operating Officer Blaize Levitan is leaving town for the same position in Branford, according to Superintendent of GPS Dr. Toni Jones.

Levitan will begin his new role in Branford Public Schools (BPS) on April 29.

Jones sent a letter to the district's leadeship group last week advising them of the news. She congratulated Levitan on the position.

"While he will be greatly missed, the allure of working very close to home with his baby boy arriving any day was not something he could pass up," Jones said. "We wish him nothing but the best!"

GPS’s search for a new chief operating officer will begin immediately, Jones added.

In a news release from BPS, Levitan expressed excitement about joining the district.

"Branford is an innovative district offering a world-class education," Levitan said. "With a new strategic plan and new leadership, this is an exciting time to be part of the BPS community."

Superintendent of BPS Christopher Tranberg said Levitan will be "an amazing addition" to the district's leadership team and an asset to the town.

"Levitan is not only a big picture thinker, he also sees the steps necessary to support and improve organizational coherence and effectiveness," Transberg said in a news release. "It is clear he does this by building strong teams, approaching his work with positivity, and remembering that students are at the center of our work."

Levitan became COO of GPS in 2022 after serving as the assistant director of Greenwich Parks and Recreation Depatment for two years.

Before that, Levitan worked in the Office of the First Selectman from 2017 through 2020 as a senior management analyst, and played a key role in the development and management of the annual town operating and capital budgets.

As an emergency management specialist and founding member of the University of Connecticut’s Office of Emergency Management from 2014 through 2017, Levitan helped develop the first-ever university-wide emergency operations plan. His career in public service began in 2009 as a supervisor for his hometown Ellington Public Schools.

From 2007 through 2017, Levitan was a state certified firefighter and advisor to the cadet program for the Ellington Volunteer Fire Department.