Assistant Principals for Stamford HS Are Appointed

Editor’s Note: This article originally was published on July 28. Here it is again, in case you missed it.

Superintendent Stamford Public Schools (SPS) Winifred Hamilton and the Stamford Board of Education announced Tuesday night that Rafael Escobar and Matthew Laskowski have been appointed assistant principals of Stamford High School (SHS).

“I am very pleased that we have completed the team at Stamford High School, especially with candidates who have direct links to Stamford,” Hamilton said in a statement. “I am confident that we have the right team in place for the coming year, who will continue to build on the strong sense of community and pride that is the legacy of Stamford High.”

The appointments come in the wake of the teacher-student sex scandal that has enveloped the school, the district and Hamilton’s administration since it came to light in June 2014. Former teacher Danielle Watkins is serving a five-year prison sentence for sexual assault and for supplying another student with mariajuana.

Escobar, a Stamford Public Schools alumnus, is a 1991 graduate of SHS and attended Dolan Middle and Northeast Elementary schools. He has spent his 17-year career serving the Stamford district. For the past three years, Escobar was SHS Dean of Students and before that was a social studies teacher at Westhill High School (WHS).

As the Dean of Students at Stamford High, Escobar worked on numerous initiatives to improve school climate, student performance, and community outreach. Escobar was involved in implementing interventions to successfully address the academic and behavioral needs of students. He collaborated in establishing the DREAM program and Leadership Academy, and he spearheaded the efforts of partnering with middle schools to assist eighth graders transitioning to high school. Also, Escobar’s community outreach involved building relationships and conducting presentations for English and Spanish speaking parents on school policy, freshman transition, college readiness, and academic expectations.

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Escobar earned a 6th-Year Degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Bridgeport, as well as a Master of Art in History and a Bachelor of Science in Education from Central Connecticut State University.

Laskowski, a Stamford resident, has worked in the Danbury Public Schools district for the past 10 years. Laskowski was Dean of Student Support at Danbury High School since 2012 and also served as Director of Danbury Early College Opportunity (DECO) since January 2015. The DECO program is modeled after the acclaimed P-TECH school in Brooklyn, NY, and provides students the opportunity to earn a high school diploma and an associate degree concurrently at no cost. While at Danbury High School, he served as New Teacher Coordinator, designed and directed a Student Tutoring Center, successfully decreased absenteeism, and increased the passing rate of students in core subject areas.

Prior to working at the high school, Laskowski was a Physical Education Teacher at Rogers Park Middle School in Danbury. Laskowski also served as coach for the high school wrestling and junior varsity football teams, as well as assistant coach for varsity football.

Laskowski earned a 6th Year in Advanced Educational Leadership from the University of New England, a Master of Science in Special Education from Western Connecticut State University, and a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education from Springfield College.

Related stories:

• City Opens Investigation into Stamford High School Teacher Sex Scandal
• Stamford HS Administrators Seek Special Probation Program
• Stamford HS Administrators Plead Not Guilty
• Stamford Teacher Is Accused of Sexual Assault of Student
• Prosecutors May Seek Plea Deal in Stamford HS Teacher Sex Assault Case
• Stamford High Administrators Receive Probation
• Stamford Teacher’s Plea Deal Offer Includes Jail Time
• Report: Stamford Public Administration Failed in High School Teacher Sex Case
• New Principal For Stamford High Is Appointed
• UPDATE: School Superintendent Reverses Decision on Removing Stamford School Administrators