Superintendent of the Year A Finalist for Westport Job

Editor’s note: We previously ran this story, but here it is again in case you missed it.

The Westport Board of Education has announced that Dr. Colleen Palmer is the final superintendent candidate.

Palmer is currently the superintendent of schools for Weston Public Schools. She was named Superintendent of the Year last month by the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents.

The common practice for Westport BOE is to announce the ifnalist in order to plan a site visit. Members of the board and other school officials meet in small groups with school officials, staff and parents in Weston.

“We interviewed highly acclaimed candidates from different states, and Dr. Palmer was the clear choice to take our already-thriving school district and build on that success for the next generation of Westport students,” said Michael Gordon, BOE chair. “She is a visionary academic leader who will bring an unwavering focus to our mission of reaching the potential of each child. We are thrilled that she wants to bring her tremendous skill set and experience to Westport.”

The appointment of Palmer is subject to a third-party background check and the finalization of contract terms. The board anticipates an appointment in January.

More about Palmer:

Since July 2008, Dr. Palmer has been a superintendent in two Fairfield County communities: first in Monroe and then in Weston. Dr. Palmer also is an experienced high school principal, having served in that role at Nonnewaug, Hamden and Simsbury High Schools. In addition, Dr. Palmer served as Deputy Executive Director of the Capital Regional Education Council (CREC). Her extensive career in education began in the classroom as a high school math teacher.

Dr. Palmer has a doctorate in educational administration from the University of Connecticut. She also received a certificate in executive leadership from UConn and a master’s degree in K-12 counseling from Southern Connecticut State University. Her undergraduate degree in mathematics education is from the University of Connecticut.

Image via Weston Public Schools