New Principal of Western School Named at Board of Education Meeting

The Naugatuck Board of Education announced at their regular monthly meeting at the Tuttle Building that the new principal of Western Elementary School will be Mrs. Brenda Goodrich. Mrs. Goodrich recently completed the administrative intern program in district schools where she worked closely with the building principals. She ended her internship at Maple Hill School in June and was one of the 41 applicants for the job at Western School. The field was narrowed to nine candidates that were interviewed, then was whittled to the final three.

Mrs. Goodrich, 41, grew up in Naugatuck where she attended borough public schools before she headed to Holy Cross for her high school years. She did her undergraduate work at Central CT State University and attended Southern CT State University for her Masters degree. She received her sixth year from the University of Bridgeport.

When she began the internship program she said, "My goal is to become a principal so I am very excited and thankful for the opportunity to visit multiple schools and learn from the principals."

During his announcement, BOE Chair David Heller noted that Mrs. Goodrich stood out among the applicants and was the clear choice of the final committee that was comprised of two elementary principals and the new Superintendent of Schools Sharon Locke. Mr. Heller mentioned how impressed he was by her high academic standards. He also pointed out that Western School has presented many wonderful theatrical productions in the past, under the direction of third grade teacher Stephanie Colella. The Chair expressed his hope that Mrs. Goodrich would consider taking on a role in any future musicals and the new principal said that she would love to do so.

After addressing the Board of Education and the public that attended the meeting, the new principal expressed how excited she is to meet the teachers at Western and to begin working with the students and their parents that make up the Western family.

At the end of the meeting, BOE member Diana Malone asked Mrs. Goodrich to introduce her family and she proudly presented her husband Jeff, her ten year old son Hunter,  her twelve year old daughter Sydney and her stepfather Richard DeCarlo. Mrs. Goodrich is the daughter of the late Ralph Bonacassio and Josephine DeCarlo. "My mom always believed in me," she told me.