Replacement to Head O' Meadow School Principal to be Named Tonight

Bill Bircher, the longtime principal of Head O' Meadow School has left his post, and pending the Board of Education's approval tonight, Sandy Hook School's assistant principal Barbara Gasparine is to be appointed his replacement, according to officials.

Bircher's departure was unannounced and came shortly after the end of the school year, though an exact reason has not been said, school teachers said.

"He's left the school – that's all that has been confirmed for the faculty," said Susan Ruddock, a Head O Meadow teacher.

Faculty also were told about a week after classes let out that Gasparine would be the new principal, though her appointment would have to be approved first by the education board.

Superintendent of Schools Janet Robinson also said in her blog on the school district's website on June 24 that Gasparine would get the job pending board approval.

Bircher could not be reached for comment.

A message seeking comment was left for Robinson.

Teachers who have worked with Bircher, who was Head O Meadow School principal for more than 10 years and before that was the longtime principal of Middle Gate School, described him as a strong leader and advocate.

"I knew him as a mentor, advocate for teachers and students and someone who had the strength of his conviction," Ruddock said. "It's a great loss to the Newtown school district."

Ken Royal, a former Head O Meadow School teacher, who now works as senior editor of Technology and Products for Scholastic in New York City, wrote a tribute article, "What Makes an Administrator Great?" about Bircher on Royal's blog. He said Bircher was ahead of his time, particularly in championing the use of technology.

In 2001, under Bircher's leadership, all the teachers at school had laptops, Royal said, adding that teachers used to software to record daily attendance, post notices and collect data. Bircher also changed the report card system so that when parents came for conferences, they would receive precise information on where their children placed and what was being worked on, Royal said.

"This guy was thinking 10 to 15 years down the road, and talking about things I'm reading about today," Royal said of Bircher.

Bircher also inspired teachers to work hard, Royal said, adding he found it hard to believe Bircher was gone from his post, although the two have not talked in years.

"Head O Meadow was his life," Royal said. "I don't think he took a sick day in his life."

The board has scheduled an interview with Gasparine tonight during an executive session scheduled for the start of its meeting at 7 p.m. in the Municipal Center. The executive session will be held behind closed doors but the vote on the appointment should be done in public afterward, accordng to the agenda.