Interim Principal Appointed At Hamilton Avenue School

GREENWICH, CT — Greenwich Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Toni Jones announced last week the appointment of Diane Chiappetta Fox as interim principal of Hamilton Avenue School, effective immediately.

Chiappetta Fox replaces Dr. Shanta Smith, who recently departed the school district.

Chiappetta Fox will serve as the chief administrator of Hamilton Avenue School, developing and implementing policies, programs, curriculum activities and budgets to promote the educational development of each student and professional development of each staff member, the district said in a news release.

Hamilton Avenue, one of GPS' four magnet elementary schools, is the district’s first Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Mathematics (STEAM) school and boasts an outstanding Suzuki violin program and state of the art STEAM design lab.

"I am absolutely thrilled to have been given the opportunity to lead this great school," Chiappetta Fox said in a news release. "I am looking forward to working alongside the extremely talented and dedicated staff and being with an amazing community of families and students."

Jones called Chiappetta Fox a "respected member of the Greenwich school community." She has been a part of the district for decades, first as a student, then as an educator, administrator and mentor, Jones said.

"The staff, students, and families of Hamilton Avenue School are getting a leader with tremendous dedication and commitment to our educational programs," Jones added in a news release. "The love of her hometown of Greenwich, and especially on the west side, is evident in her passion and excitement to now be at Hamilton Avenue."

Chiappetta Fox has been with GPS since 1995, most recently as the program administrator of Greenwich High School’s Windrose program for the past four years. Her GPS tenure began as a speech and language pathologist from 1995 through 2006. She then became the GHS director of student activities for the next 12 years, developing and promoting activities to support student engagement.

As the assistant dean of student life for Cantor House from 2017 through 2018, Chiappetta Fox was responsible for implementing the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program, planning and providing professional development and supporting the special education program.

Chiappetta Fox began her career as an educator with Westport Public Schools and Stamford Public Schools as a speech and language pathologist. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communicative disorders from the University of Rhode Island and a master’s degree in communication disorders from Southern Connecticut State University.

Chiappetta Fox completed course work in educational administration and leadership from Sacred Heart University and holds Intermediate Administration Certification (092), a Professional Educator Certificate - speech and language pathology, and a Connecticut Department of Public Health License - speech and language pathology.