Levy Prepares to Take the Helm at Hamden Middle School

Hamden Middle School Principal James O’Connor has chosen to forgo his position and instead take the title as Principal of Mary R. Tisko School in Branford.

Daniel Levy, one of the school's assistant principals who has been working at HMS for the past fourteen years, will be taking O’Connor’s place.

O’Connor described his situation as “bittersweet. 

“It’s very tough to leave because our team has done a lot of good things," O'Connor said. "We’ve initiated both academic and social improvements for students.”

O’Connor has been HMS principal since 2007 and worked closely with Assistant Principals Levy and Rhonda Jackson.

Each leader in their team “has a particular point of view," Levy said. "We needed good collaboration to create holistic plans and allow fluid approval.”

The administration has made a great deal of progress since he first began working at HMS as a substitute teacher, Levy said. He first became a permanent teacher, then a Team Leader, and finally Assistant Principal and primary overseer of the eighth grade, and said he has seen a great deal of development in student behavior and academic ability over the years.

As principal, Levy plans to “do more of what we’ve already been doing,” he said. The only changes he would want to make would be in efficiency, he said.

Levy will transition from his tasks as assistant principal, focusing on day-to-day student interaction, discipline, and student’s academics, to the principal’s duties of being the face of HMS in the Hamden community, interacting more with parents, working with the superintendent and handling the school’s budget.

It is quite atransition, Levy said, but he is up for the challenge.

The middle school's administration focuses on a “team approach,” O'Connor said, and Levy’s most pressing difficulty will be finding someone to replace himself as assistant principal. Whenever the administration works together, O’Connor said, each principal is involved and hashes out any reservations before a group decision is made. After a meeting, “We all leave feeling good that we’ve done the right thing,” he said.

Levy said he is very excited to take on his new role next year and expressed his love for HMS.

“I love its diversity, its size, its energy,” he said. “To me, Hamden Middle School is America.”

There are about 900 seventh= and eighth-grade students at HMS, and he is amazed at how many backgrounds his students come from, Levy said.

“If we can achieve here, then American can succeed,” he said.

He is also appreciative for the great support HMS receives from the Hamden community, Levy said.

“Hamden is a vibrant city. It’s fun to be a part of it, its deep tradition, and its history,” he said.

Both men are very active in the Hamden community especially with groups such as the Veteran’s Commission. Levy himself served in the U.S. Coast Guard from 1993-1997.

O’Connor admitted, “I’m excited but sad to leave the community… it was a very tough decision.” Even though he will miss HMS greatly, O’Connor said, he affirmed that “I’m leaving everything in good hands.”

Both administrators made clear that they want to give the students at HMS as many opportunities as they can acquire. 

“I want every individual to have the best experience possible," O'Connor said. "If I can touch just one student’s life, I will feel successful.”

He also expressed his gratitude to Supt. of Schools Fran Rabinowitz and the Hamden Board of Education for their commitment to efficiency.

“I want parents and students to know that HMS will always be a great, safe place," O'Connor said. "The taxpayers have given us a great school with so much technology. Elementary school parents looking at our school should be rest assured.” 

Levy agreed and said that students and parents really seem to enjoy Hamden Middle School and all it has to offer academically, socially, and administratively.

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